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One Day as a Tiger: Alex MacIntyre and the Birth of Light and Fast Alpinism
A revelatory and poignant memoir showing mountaineering at its extraordinary best and tragic worst as it draws an unforgettable picture of a dazzling, argumentative and exuberant climbing legend.
In the autumn of 1982, a single stone fell from high on the south face of Annapurna and struck Alex MacIntyre on the head, killing him instantly and robbing the climbing world of one of its greatest talents.
Although only 28 years old, Alex was already one of the leading figures of British mountaineering’s most successful era. His ascents included hard new routes on Himalayan giants like Dhaulagiri and Changabang and a glittering record of firsts in the Alps and Andes. Yet how Alex climbed was as important as what he climbed. He was a mountaineering prophet, sharing with a handful of contemporaries – including his climbing partner Voytek Kurtyka – the vision of a purer form of alpinism on the world's highest peaks.
In the autumn of 1982, a single stone fell from high on the south face of Annapurna and struck Alex MacIntyre on the head, killing him instantly and robbing the climbing world of one of its greatest talents.
Although only 28 years old, Alex was already one of the leading figures of British mountaineering’s most successful era. His ascents included hard new routes on Himalayan giants like Dhaulagiri and Changabang and a glittering record of firsts in the Alps and Andes. Yet how Alex climbed was as important as what he climbed. He was a mountaineering prophet, sharing with a handful of contemporaries – including his climbing partner Voytek Kurtyka – the vision of a purer form of alpinism on the world's highest peaks.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2014
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175 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 13, 2016
After reading Freedom Climbers, Alex MacIntyre was the "extra" alpinist that remained in my memory. As he was described in that book, his personality and style had an almost Monty Python-esque appeal, and I needed to know more. I purchased this book immediately after I found it despite its high price (especially considering I got a digital copy).
I can appreciate that the author was a friend and did not try to turn this into an imitation of Alex's writing style or into a straight biography, but the narrative of it was all over the place and difficult to follow. The photos at the end are extraordinary, and there were some new things I learned, of course, including things about my favorite alpinist from Freedom Climbers, Voytek, but not enough to completely redeem this from its flaws. Had I not spent so much money on it, it would have been a "did-not-finish" book, or at least I would not have pushed so hard to finish it as quickly as I have.
I can appreciate that the author was a friend and did not try to turn this into an imitation of Alex's writing style or into a straight biography, but the narrative of it was all over the place and difficult to follow. The photos at the end are extraordinary, and there were some new things I learned, of course, including things about my favorite alpinist from Freedom Climbers, Voytek, but not enough to completely redeem this from its flaws. Had I not spent so much money on it, it would have been a "did-not-finish" book, or at least I would not have pushed so hard to finish it as quickly as I have.
May 24, 2017
Fascinating book about the British alpinism of the 70s and 80s, mixed with tales of Polish climbers behind the Iron curtain.
https://goryksiazek.pl/2016/02/john-p...
One single stone had changed the fate of the climbing. Where would the modern alpinism be, had Alex Macintyre not died on the south face of Annapurna? We do not know, but thanks to a fascinating book written by John Porter we can immerse ourselves into a brave, beautiful world of the British and Polish alpinism at the turn of the 70s. (As it occurs, representatives of both nations with equal boldness faced highly valuated climbing routes and many bottles of … highly valuated liquid). “Whether climbing on the dole in Britain or forced to make a dangerous living as a roped access worker in Poland, both groups developed the skills needed to face hardship and adversity – but on climbers’ own terms”
“One day as a tiger” is an account of the times already gone, but which have shaped modern alpinism. It is an epitaph of visionary generation of the British and Polish climbers. It is a book, which should have been co-authored by Voytek Kurtyka.
After the 2014 Banff festival was conquered by John Porter’s book “One day as a tiger”, I waited impatiently for the delivery of the parcel, I’ve ordered at the British internet bookshop. The book was very promising: after nearly 35 years climbing partner of Alex Macintyre wrote a book about the legendary climber, with whom and Voytek Kurtyka, they created foundations of the alpine style in the high mountains.
Alex Macintyre was a leading figure of the British alpinism of his times. Even though he was only 28 when he died tragically, he was a precursor of light and fast climbing in small teams in the highest mountains of the world. He traced new routes, climbing in the alpine style on the Himalayan giants like Dhaulagiri, Changabang or in Hindukush Koh-i-Bandaka. He completed many of the most important routes with Poles, among others with: Jerzy Kukuczka and Voytek Kurtyka. With the latter he shared the common vision of a new, pure form of alpinism in high mountains. Apart from climbing he used to design lighter and more functional gear, paving the way for a modern outdoor industry. In addition to all the above he was a very intelligent, joyful and friendly man, not without flaws though.
I got to like the protagonist of the book at a spot … and the next moment, just after having read six pages of the book, my heart stopped beating when I stumbled upon a description of Alex’s lethal accident on Annapurna in 1982. John Porter is ruthless and does not beat around the bush: this book is about a very perspective generation of climbers, that climbed itself to death. After the bold start author returns to the beginnings and walks us through Alex’s life, through the events that created his nature and style. At the same time with a great deal of gentleness allows us to take a peek into Macintyre’s private life, to listen the stories told by his mother, his friends, his life partners. The tale is interwoven with memories from adventures in the mountains: at the beginning from the rock school of the Lake District and ranges of Scotland, then the Alps, up to the most important expeditions into the Hindukush, the Himalaya, the Peruvian Andes. What may be of an interest to a Polish reader, is that author looks behind the Iron Curtain, to Poland of the 70s and the beginning of the 80s, making an account of visits in the country as a representative of the British Mountaineering Council – the equivalent of Polish PZA – and of expeditions with the leading Polish alpinists: Andrzej Zawada, Voytek Kurtyka, Jan Wolf and the others.
John Porter intertwines his story with numerous anecdotes from life of climbing community. The most interesting stories were brought from the visits in communist Poland. The way the Brits saw Poland of the end of 70s is fascinating, their efforts to understand the incomprehensible commerce of trafficking virtually anything what can be sold, or even making money on expeditions in the high mountains. As it seems, the trafficked goods were also used by the secret services of communist regime. Together with the author, we visit the Tatra in winter, where the Brits meet armed Czechoslovak border force officers during the climb on the ridge. We observe the fascinating poker game between climbers and the party apparatchiks. The most engaging are stories of how Andrzej Zawada smuggled the team of Brits on the train across the USSR in the middle of the Cold War. While the merry British team, unaware of the danger, played cards in their compartment listening to Led Zeppelin, the train’s speakers were transmitting loud songs of the Choir of the Red Army. Zawada borrowed the Macintyre’s ice axe and methodologically smashed all speakers in the carriage, one-by-one, until the Choir was no more. Returning the ice axe to astonished British climbers he said: “We do not allow such a militarism and lack of good taste in Poland”. Zawada’s attitude towards the Soviet Russia is characterised by his commentary on giving the Scotch whisky as a bribe to officers in Moscow: “Polish vodka is far too good for these Russians. To give them Scotch is a crime”. The book is filled with little stories of the kind: stories about climbers from the United Kingdom and about the Poles – like the one about conflict of a gemstone of Voytek Kurtyka and inhabitants of the Afghan village.
“One day as a tiger” has a similar significance for the British himalaism as for the Polish had the “Freedom climbers” by Bernadette McDonald. We get to know the legendary Englishmen, that traced new routes and set new standards in mountains, however, who are often not well known to a Polish reader. In the book stories about everyday life of the climbers mix with the tales of climbing. The book tells how alpinists coped with jobs, relationships, family. All these threads help to understand the lives of protagonists, take away status of super-humans, and show the everyday difficulties they faced on the lowlands, how lost they were, the price they had to pay for the lifestyle they chose. Conversations with Alex’s closest ones bear witness to the tragedy of the situation, seemingly without solution: a passion, that made him who he was, gave him his maturity, at the same time being a very egocentric passion, which leaves no room for the happiness of other people. The passion that requires support from others and a passionate man, that wants to be loved, needs a community and stable life after coming back from expeditions. The book tells the story of how Macintyre perfected his climbing style, and how he kept on losing his nature and relationships with friends in the process. Each step towards even more difficult challenges required from him to be less and less sensitive to problems of the others and to be more and more focused on his goal.
Author invites us to almost philosophical reflections on the purpose of climbing, on its beauty, on what it gives and what it takes. John Porter seems to be asking a question – how to follow the path of passion, not to get lost, not to take one step too far, not to raise the stakes too high, higher than we are willing to pay. Often a reply comes as a sorrow and remorse many years too late. The ideal state of equilibrium described by the author was the moment before entering very dangerous wall of Koh-i-Bandaka, when he felt that there was nothing in the past he wanted to hold on to, nothing in the future he wished to aspire to, except the here and now.
Reading “One day as a tiger” is a great pleasure also because of a vivid language of the author. John Porter describes events and adventures in such a colourful way, that it’s difficult to stop reading. Language used is very illustrative, creative and often reaches out to the slang of climbers of the 70ies and the 80ies. Translating the book into Polish, while keeping the imaginativeness, will be a challenge for translator. One of the pearls prepared by the author is giving the chapters titles related to the names of songs and culture of the time. „Stairway to heaven”, „A walk on the wild side”, „Rocking in the free world” – describing climbing behind the Iron Curtain, “Let it be”, where author meets Alex’s mother, „Wish you were here”….
I can recommend this book by any measure. In my opinion it will soon belong to the canon of mountain literature. This is an incredibly well written account of the times that are long gone, nevertheless have a lot to do with the reality of today. For those who can, I advise reading an original book before the Polish translation becomes available.
Reading “One day as a tiger” I’ve been thinking how much of my comfort I would be ready to sacrifice in order to live Alex’s life, how much would I be willing to risk, how long would I agree to be exhausted and in fear? For Alex Macintyre, it seems, there was no other way. He preferred to “live one day as a tiger than a thousand years as a sheep”.
https://goryksiazek.pl/2016/02/john-p...
One single stone had changed the fate of the climbing. Where would the modern alpinism be, had Alex Macintyre not died on the south face of Annapurna? We do not know, but thanks to a fascinating book written by John Porter we can immerse ourselves into a brave, beautiful world of the British and Polish alpinism at the turn of the 70s. (As it occurs, representatives of both nations with equal boldness faced highly valuated climbing routes and many bottles of … highly valuated liquid). “Whether climbing on the dole in Britain or forced to make a dangerous living as a roped access worker in Poland, both groups developed the skills needed to face hardship and adversity – but on climbers’ own terms”
“One day as a tiger” is an account of the times already gone, but which have shaped modern alpinism. It is an epitaph of visionary generation of the British and Polish climbers. It is a book, which should have been co-authored by Voytek Kurtyka.
After the 2014 Banff festival was conquered by John Porter’s book “One day as a tiger”, I waited impatiently for the delivery of the parcel, I’ve ordered at the British internet bookshop. The book was very promising: after nearly 35 years climbing partner of Alex Macintyre wrote a book about the legendary climber, with whom and Voytek Kurtyka, they created foundations of the alpine style in the high mountains.
Alex Macintyre was a leading figure of the British alpinism of his times. Even though he was only 28 when he died tragically, he was a precursor of light and fast climbing in small teams in the highest mountains of the world. He traced new routes, climbing in the alpine style on the Himalayan giants like Dhaulagiri, Changabang or in Hindukush Koh-i-Bandaka. He completed many of the most important routes with Poles, among others with: Jerzy Kukuczka and Voytek Kurtyka. With the latter he shared the common vision of a new, pure form of alpinism in high mountains. Apart from climbing he used to design lighter and more functional gear, paving the way for a modern outdoor industry. In addition to all the above he was a very intelligent, joyful and friendly man, not without flaws though.
I got to like the protagonist of the book at a spot … and the next moment, just after having read six pages of the book, my heart stopped beating when I stumbled upon a description of Alex’s lethal accident on Annapurna in 1982. John Porter is ruthless and does not beat around the bush: this book is about a very perspective generation of climbers, that climbed itself to death. After the bold start author returns to the beginnings and walks us through Alex’s life, through the events that created his nature and style. At the same time with a great deal of gentleness allows us to take a peek into Macintyre’s private life, to listen the stories told by his mother, his friends, his life partners. The tale is interwoven with memories from adventures in the mountains: at the beginning from the rock school of the Lake District and ranges of Scotland, then the Alps, up to the most important expeditions into the Hindukush, the Himalaya, the Peruvian Andes. What may be of an interest to a Polish reader, is that author looks behind the Iron Curtain, to Poland of the 70s and the beginning of the 80s, making an account of visits in the country as a representative of the British Mountaineering Council – the equivalent of Polish PZA – and of expeditions with the leading Polish alpinists: Andrzej Zawada, Voytek Kurtyka, Jan Wolf and the others.
John Porter intertwines his story with numerous anecdotes from life of climbing community. The most interesting stories were brought from the visits in communist Poland. The way the Brits saw Poland of the end of 70s is fascinating, their efforts to understand the incomprehensible commerce of trafficking virtually anything what can be sold, or even making money on expeditions in the high mountains. As it seems, the trafficked goods were also used by the secret services of communist regime. Together with the author, we visit the Tatra in winter, where the Brits meet armed Czechoslovak border force officers during the climb on the ridge. We observe the fascinating poker game between climbers and the party apparatchiks. The most engaging are stories of how Andrzej Zawada smuggled the team of Brits on the train across the USSR in the middle of the Cold War. While the merry British team, unaware of the danger, played cards in their compartment listening to Led Zeppelin, the train’s speakers were transmitting loud songs of the Choir of the Red Army. Zawada borrowed the Macintyre’s ice axe and methodologically smashed all speakers in the carriage, one-by-one, until the Choir was no more. Returning the ice axe to astonished British climbers he said: “We do not allow such a militarism and lack of good taste in Poland”. Zawada’s attitude towards the Soviet Russia is characterised by his commentary on giving the Scotch whisky as a bribe to officers in Moscow: “Polish vodka is far too good for these Russians. To give them Scotch is a crime”. The book is filled with little stories of the kind: stories about climbers from the United Kingdom and about the Poles – like the one about conflict of a gemstone of Voytek Kurtyka and inhabitants of the Afghan village.
“One day as a tiger” has a similar significance for the British himalaism as for the Polish had the “Freedom climbers” by Bernadette McDonald. We get to know the legendary Englishmen, that traced new routes and set new standards in mountains, however, who are often not well known to a Polish reader. In the book stories about everyday life of the climbers mix with the tales of climbing. The book tells how alpinists coped with jobs, relationships, family. All these threads help to understand the lives of protagonists, take away status of super-humans, and show the everyday difficulties they faced on the lowlands, how lost they were, the price they had to pay for the lifestyle they chose. Conversations with Alex’s closest ones bear witness to the tragedy of the situation, seemingly without solution: a passion, that made him who he was, gave him his maturity, at the same time being a very egocentric passion, which leaves no room for the happiness of other people. The passion that requires support from others and a passionate man, that wants to be loved, needs a community and stable life after coming back from expeditions. The book tells the story of how Macintyre perfected his climbing style, and how he kept on losing his nature and relationships with friends in the process. Each step towards even more difficult challenges required from him to be less and less sensitive to problems of the others and to be more and more focused on his goal.
Author invites us to almost philosophical reflections on the purpose of climbing, on its beauty, on what it gives and what it takes. John Porter seems to be asking a question – how to follow the path of passion, not to get lost, not to take one step too far, not to raise the stakes too high, higher than we are willing to pay. Often a reply comes as a sorrow and remorse many years too late. The ideal state of equilibrium described by the author was the moment before entering very dangerous wall of Koh-i-Bandaka, when he felt that there was nothing in the past he wanted to hold on to, nothing in the future he wished to aspire to, except the here and now.
Reading “One day as a tiger” is a great pleasure also because of a vivid language of the author. John Porter describes events and adventures in such a colourful way, that it’s difficult to stop reading. Language used is very illustrative, creative and often reaches out to the slang of climbers of the 70ies and the 80ies. Translating the book into Polish, while keeping the imaginativeness, will be a challenge for translator. One of the pearls prepared by the author is giving the chapters titles related to the names of songs and culture of the time. „Stairway to heaven”, „A walk on the wild side”, „Rocking in the free world” – describing climbing behind the Iron Curtain, “Let it be”, where author meets Alex’s mother, „Wish you were here”….
I can recommend this book by any measure. In my opinion it will soon belong to the canon of mountain literature. This is an incredibly well written account of the times that are long gone, nevertheless have a lot to do with the reality of today. For those who can, I advise reading an original book before the Polish translation becomes available.
Reading “One day as a tiger” I’ve been thinking how much of my comfort I would be ready to sacrifice in order to live Alex’s life, how much would I be willing to risk, how long would I agree to be exhausted and in fear? For Alex Macintyre, it seems, there was no other way. He preferred to “live one day as a tiger than a thousand years as a sheep”.
March 29, 2018
I had no idea John Porter was the same age as my parents. He looked great when he presented his book in Banff in 2014 :) I'm glad he gave a nod to Bernadette Mc Donald's book Freedom Climbers, because I enjoyed reading about him from her perspective. He never gave his Polish passport/visa name in his book. Also, the overlapping character of Voytek Kurtyka had greater depth when seen from both perspectives.
When I read Forever on the Mountain, I thought of this book, because roughly at the same time on different continents people were experimenting with the fast and light models rather than the cumbersome styles that prevailed at the time. It was hard to read Ueli Steck's name, a master of alpine style climbing, knowing that he died in 2017, well after the book came out.
As a Canadian, living close to the US border, I was familiar with the concept of "draft dodgers" during the Vietnam war, but I didn't think England would be a refuge for them. Even though the climbs were important, I enjoyed learning about all the different relationships both John and Alex had within the climbing community as well as their families.
I heard John's talk a couple years before I heard Paul Pritchard's. Paul was hit by a boulder and traveled to tell the tale in different formats, while Alex MacIntyre died from a small rock with plenty of speed behind it. Close to home one of our club members suffered a nasty concussion. Both him and his caving buddy at the time weren't wholeheartedly convinced he'd make it out alive.
When I read Forever on the Mountain, I thought of this book, because roughly at the same time on different continents people were experimenting with the fast and light models rather than the cumbersome styles that prevailed at the time. It was hard to read Ueli Steck's name, a master of alpine style climbing, knowing that he died in 2017, well after the book came out.
As a Canadian, living close to the US border, I was familiar with the concept of "draft dodgers" during the Vietnam war, but I didn't think England would be a refuge for them. Even though the climbs were important, I enjoyed learning about all the different relationships both John and Alex had within the climbing community as well as their families.
I heard John's talk a couple years before I heard Paul Pritchard's. Paul was hit by a boulder and traveled to tell the tale in different formats, while Alex MacIntyre died from a small rock with plenty of speed behind it. Close to home one of our club members suffered a nasty concussion. Both him and his caving buddy at the time weren't wholeheartedly convinced he'd make it out alive.
October 16, 2017
It might be a mediocre translation into Polish, but this book isn't a very smooth read. Many conversations felt stilted and awkward, while the author uses a lot of very climbing-specific language. If you're not familiar with the geological words for rock formations or some specific names for climbing gear, you'll be as confused at times as I was. Not a very easy book to just pick up and read.
That said, the stories it tells are interesting, and its main hero - Alex MacIntyre - is shown from several angles that give him a full characterisation. Surprisingly, it seems like the author was neither very good friends with MacIntyre, nor did MacIntyre consider him somebody particularly important. This might be a wrong reading of their relationship, but it certainly seems that while Porter might've been the mountaineer closest to MacIntyre, he still wasn't quite close enough to make the reader feel like they had a really strong bond.
Anyway, I'm not a connaisseur of these sort of books, so the above might be a completely misguided ramble... take my opinion with a pinch of salt.
That said, the stories it tells are interesting, and its main hero - Alex MacIntyre - is shown from several angles that give him a full characterisation. Surprisingly, it seems like the author was neither very good friends with MacIntyre, nor did MacIntyre consider him somebody particularly important. This might be a wrong reading of their relationship, but it certainly seems that while Porter might've been the mountaineer closest to MacIntyre, he still wasn't quite close enough to make the reader feel like they had a really strong bond.
Anyway, I'm not a connaisseur of these sort of books, so the above might be a completely misguided ramble... take my opinion with a pinch of salt.
September 23, 2020
This book is not poorly written - as in, the author is a decent writer.
It just doesn't tell an interesting story. It's not much about Alex MacIntyre, or if it is, it's pretty banal. It's full of pretty basic anecdotes of climbing in that era, and even then it's not that interesting unless you care about the politics of British mountaineering councils and organizations. I'm not sure the guy was that remarkable, or if he was, this book does a poor job of illuminating why. As for the 'birth of light and fast alpinism' thing, I don't know, it's touched on here and there I suppose, but it's hardly delved into. You more get the impression that the Poles birthed that idea, in parallel with their larger siege style ascents.
Anyhow, at some point the author says he hesitated on writing the book as he was not convinced of the story to be told. He was right, he didn't have the story. If Alex MacIntyre was impressive, I'm still not sure why.
It just doesn't tell an interesting story. It's not much about Alex MacIntyre, or if it is, it's pretty banal. It's full of pretty basic anecdotes of climbing in that era, and even then it's not that interesting unless you care about the politics of British mountaineering councils and organizations. I'm not sure the guy was that remarkable, or if he was, this book does a poor job of illuminating why. As for the 'birth of light and fast alpinism' thing, I don't know, it's touched on here and there I suppose, but it's hardly delved into. You more get the impression that the Poles birthed that idea, in parallel with their larger siege style ascents.
Anyhow, at some point the author says he hesitated on writing the book as he was not convinced of the story to be told. He was right, he didn't have the story. If Alex MacIntyre was impressive, I'm still not sure why.
May 26, 2023
I came across this book after reading both Brian Hall’s High Risk: Climbing to Extinction and Joe Tasker’s Savage Arena, written both by and about this same group of British Alpinists.
I hate to say it, as John Porter was very close to Alex MacIntyre and his family, but this book really lacks structure. It seems like he never decided whether to tell Alex’s story, or his own experiences of events involving Alex. There are entire chapters of this book where Alex is hardly mentioned and makes for a very disjointed narrative.
I can’t say I gleaned much more from this book than what I had already read in Brian Hall’s book, which is much better.
I hate to say it, as John Porter was very close to Alex MacIntyre and his family, but this book really lacks structure. It seems like he never decided whether to tell Alex’s story, or his own experiences of events involving Alex. There are entire chapters of this book where Alex is hardly mentioned and makes for a very disjointed narrative.
I can’t say I gleaned much more from this book than what I had already read in Brian Hall’s book, which is much better.
January 20, 2018
A really interesting book about the nature of climbing and the changes happening in the 1970s and 80s. Despite knowing that Alex dies at the end, the book is still compelling - we want to find out what leads him there. At the same time we are learning about how climbing was evolving. I found the stories of travelling to the Himalayas fascinating. There was such an element of adventure to climbing that is harder to find today. And the climbs were extraordinary! I really enjoyed this book. It reminds me that there are some incredible people walking among us.
July 26, 2023
Esta biografía no solo revela el carácter de Alex MacIntyre y la lógica detrás del estilo alpino, sino que también ayuda a comprender la unión que puede generar compartir cordada. John Porter homenajea y recuerda a Alex con el retrato más sincero y honesto que se puede hacer de un amigo, sin glorificar sus hazañas ni esconder sus contradicciones. Además, el relato nos ayuda a poner en valor cómo su pasión marcó a la gente de su alrededor y al mundo del alpinismo, e invita a reflexionar a aquellos que hemos practicado esta bella actividad, aún a niveles mucho más terrenales.
September 18, 2023
Great, incredible just fantastic book. Well written about a true alpinist testing the limits and progressing climbing in a fast style. “I would rather spend one day as a tiger then 1000 days as a sheep” what a quote
August 29, 2019
Mega dirtbag bible!!!!
October 14, 2018
Porter's book had a long gestation period, as he was reluctant to publish it. It is both a very personal memoir and also a eulogy for what might be considered the golden era of climbing in the 1970s & 1980s. Porter’s knowledge of the Polish climbing scene which made such an impact on mountaineering is probably unique. The book gives some thoughts on the drive of individuals to endure extremes in this obsessive 'sport'.
July 27, 2016
Another book that I found to be somewhat boring. The author talks at great length about all the conversations the climbers have with each other, all the things they did away from the mountains and quote poetry to show how clever and cultured they all were, all of which I found boring and frustrating. I don't care about the journeys they take to get to the mountains or what each airport was like or what poetry they know. I wanted to read about the actual climbs which are almost there as an afterthought.
Not one I would recommend.
Not one I would recommend.
April 25, 2017
Why I read this book:
I'm a fan of the Banff film festival and often look to their written category finalists for reading material. I bought One Day as a Tiger by John Porter nearly 2 years ago after the first of my first child to read. Alpine style mountaineering is impressive and when done right can be a relatively safe way to climb high peaks. When done poorly, it is a recipe for disaster.
My one sentence summary:
The first and evolution of Alpine style mountaineering seen through the life of one of its pioneers.
Kudos:
I have a natural affinity for mountaineering books that tell a story and transport the reader onto those perilous slopes that have showcased the height of human ingenuity and athleticism as well as the most devastating tragedies in sports. One Day As a Tiger by John Porter excels at both capturing the history of Alpism mountaineering and those involved in the pursuit of peaks through faster and lighter travel than their mountaineering fore-fathers. Porter mixes in personal stories with the often harsh realities of mountaineering behind the Iron Curtain and with ever evolving equipment. The reader really gets a sense of who Alex MacIntyre was, for better or worse, and the closeness of the mountaineering community despite its competitiveness. The tales of bribing officials and back door dealing just to get to the foot of a mountain that no one - or few - had climb is truly a testament to the determination of these adventurers. Let alone the perilous journeys and failures to reach the summits, which I eagerly read.
Quibbles:
It took me almost two years to read this book. However, that is more a reflection of my busy life and desire to take in every word rather than a lack of writing skill on Porter's part. There is a bit of a meandering quality to this book, much like the unexplored path to the top of a mountain. But I was never disappointed in the view.
Final verdict:
This is a high recommend for anyone interested in mountaineering development and the people who often sacrificed life, limb or relationships in the pursuit of the climb. The often asked question is posed at the end of the book. Why climb that mountain? As always, the answer comes down to Mallory's reply 'Because it is there'.
I'm a fan of the Banff film festival and often look to their written category finalists for reading material. I bought One Day as a Tiger by John Porter nearly 2 years ago after the first of my first child to read. Alpine style mountaineering is impressive and when done right can be a relatively safe way to climb high peaks. When done poorly, it is a recipe for disaster.
My one sentence summary:
The first and evolution of Alpine style mountaineering seen through the life of one of its pioneers.
Kudos:
I have a natural affinity for mountaineering books that tell a story and transport the reader onto those perilous slopes that have showcased the height of human ingenuity and athleticism as well as the most devastating tragedies in sports. One Day As a Tiger by John Porter excels at both capturing the history of Alpism mountaineering and those involved in the pursuit of peaks through faster and lighter travel than their mountaineering fore-fathers. Porter mixes in personal stories with the often harsh realities of mountaineering behind the Iron Curtain and with ever evolving equipment. The reader really gets a sense of who Alex MacIntyre was, for better or worse, and the closeness of the mountaineering community despite its competitiveness. The tales of bribing officials and back door dealing just to get to the foot of a mountain that no one - or few - had climb is truly a testament to the determination of these adventurers. Let alone the perilous journeys and failures to reach the summits, which I eagerly read.
Quibbles:
It took me almost two years to read this book. However, that is more a reflection of my busy life and desire to take in every word rather than a lack of writing skill on Porter's part. There is a bit of a meandering quality to this book, much like the unexplored path to the top of a mountain. But I was never disappointed in the view.
Final verdict:
This is a high recommend for anyone interested in mountaineering development and the people who often sacrificed life, limb or relationships in the pursuit of the climb. The often asked question is posed at the end of the book. Why climb that mountain? As always, the answer comes down to Mallory's reply 'Because it is there'.
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