Postcards from the Ledge: Collected Mountaineering Writings of Greg Child

by Greg Child, Joe Simpson

The author recounts his experiences climbing a variety of mountains

Genres: Climbing, Mountaineering, Nonfiction, Adventure

222 pages, Paperback

First published June 4, 1998

Reviews

[Django · Rating 4 out of 5]

A re-read of a beloved book before I give it away.

[August Howell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t read many climbing books, nor have I really climbed, but I thoroughly enjoyed Child’s witty descriptions (and hilarious self depreciation) of alpinism and its characters.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of our guides on a recent trip recommended this book & Greg Child's writing in general. I enjoyed this book. Whilst not the best in the genre, it is well written, entertaining & the variety of topics is enjoyable. I have his other 2 books & will be reading both at some point.

[Kaitlyn Zeichick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This set of essays / short stories was a mixed bag. Some were not great (in my opinion), and others were gripping and entertaining. There are 27 total stories, and I’d recommend 9 of them:

61 Green Card (getting stuck in Pakistan)
74 madmen offering themselves to the brink of disaster (BASE jumping off trango tower)
82 Souls on Ice (girl falling into a crevasse, and the Hollow Men)
100 whatever happened to Luke sky walker? (Crazy man in Yosemite)
114 dawn to dawn on Russian tower with Lynn hill
120 I was a trango love slave
130 masters of understatement
137 gunning for second best
150 burden of proof (controversy of Cesen on Lhostse)

Souls on Ice was my favorite, and also the saddest.

[Jean Dupenloup · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very funny book by Greg Child.

In these amusing vignettes, Mr. Child explores the less glamorous side of mountaineering, far removed from glorious plantings of the flag and hullabaloos of conquest.

Instead, he shows us nitty-gritty scenes such as unwashed climbers bickering on expeditions.

Well written and hilarious, this is a fine book with a zany appraisal of expeditionary climbing.

[Sharron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this collection of essays. Greg Child is a writer who climbs and writes about it with insight, humour and passion. Easily my favourite climbing writer. This collection is accessible and poignant. Child is a talented writer of non-fiction.

[Tressa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was searching Amazon for some Joe Simpson books and this one popped up. I thought it was one I missed but then saw that Simpson wrote the introduction to it. It seemed pretty entertaining so I bought a copy.

Greg Child's Postcards from the Ledge is hilarious and touching and informative at the same time. I couldn't stop laughing after reading the essay about him showing his elderly mum just how "safe" mountaineering is. In the end he hobbled away like the hurt little boy his mom knew him to be. Also hilarious and interesting are the nitty gritty facts about mountaineering, from where and how to use the toilet to stinking to high heaven after being on the mountain for so many weeks.

There are also some good essays about Allison Hargreaves' death and the world's reaction to a mother's "selfish" need to climb mountains.

And many things can be learned about other countries and cultures from the small details of his visits to these places.

I'd recommend this book to any mountaineering fans. I'm glad I bought it for my collection.

[Ensiform · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of mountaineering writings by a well-known summiter, from his own exploits and injuries to the colorful stories of others. It's quite interesting stuff, especially when Child takes stances, such as his assessment of Tomo Cesen's alleged climb of Lhotse, or Lydia Bradey's disputed ascent of Everest. Child is also enjoyable when he "mouths off" about rude climbers, theft, and the pure arrogance of amateurs who must be rescued. A well-written look into the climber's mind.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, the book is pretty good, but doesn't stand up to Childs' other works. The part that really shines is the last third of the book: the essays on Lydia Bradey and Tomo Cesen and their disputed climbs, and the essays on the media portrayal of Alison Hargreaves after her death.

[Bret Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since it's just a collection of stories instead of a drawn out biography you can't just pick it up and read it cover to cover. That cuts both ways though. It's very entertaining and a perfect book for when you only have short reading sessions at a time.

[Kat Czar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book!
Great stories from a great guy ...Greg Child - rock climber/mountaineer. first multi pitch climb was with Greg Child in the Gunks NY.

[Joyce Reynolds-Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mountaineering book with nicely understated humor. The author doesn't hesitate to pull back and touch on serious subjects, especially when discussing Everest expedition issues.