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Out There: A Voice from the Wild
WINNER OF THE OUTDOOR WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS OUTDOOR BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2016'Those who decry peak bagging as mere list ticking fail to understand the commitment challenge and pleasure involved. Collecting summits means collecting experiences.'Drawing from more than forty years of experience as an outdoorsman, and probably the world's best known long distance walker who also writes, Chris Townsend describes the landscapes and wildlife, the walkers and climbers, and the authors who have influenced him in this lucid and beautiful book. Writing from his home in the heart of the Cairngorms he discusses the wild, its importance to civilisation and how we cannot do without it.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 17, 2016
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56 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 14, 2016
Yeah, I didn't rate this at all.
Basically this guy has shoved together a book's worth of short 500-1000 word pieces about outdoors/walking/camping etc. into no particular order, had it bound into book form and had a bunch of his mates write glowing reviews for the cover.
My main problem with the book is that there's absolutely no throughline to follow. You could literally have randomly rearranged the individual pieces and it would have virtually no impact on the book. Some readers may not have a problem with this, but I like having some sort of progression through a book - whether it's chronological, developing a theme, character development... anything! But that seems to be totally lacking here.
The writing of each piece is fine I guess, and it would be fine in a magazine article or something. None of the descriptions really blew me away, but YMMV.
Lastly, and this may be jealousy on my part, the whole thing reeks of unacknowledged privilege. The author has spent multi-month periods of time throughout his life backpacking trails across the planet and visiting places (Svalbard and Greenland to name but two) which are simply unavailable to people without the connections and money to get them there. And yet the author has the gall to imply that a life without his adventures and outdoors experience is somehow lesser. I love the outdoors, and I do think it's important to get people out there - but I go for the occasional few days long hike in Scotland and appreciate it, not ski-touring in Svalbard. Even then I have to acknowledge that this hobby (or group of hobbies) is an expensive luxury. Tents and down everythings aren't cheap - so don't sneer at day hikers or imply that a life isn't complete without spending three months walking the length of a country.
Basically this guy has shoved together a book's worth of short 500-1000 word pieces about outdoors/walking/camping etc. into no particular order, had it bound into book form and had a bunch of his mates write glowing reviews for the cover.
My main problem with the book is that there's absolutely no throughline to follow. You could literally have randomly rearranged the individual pieces and it would have virtually no impact on the book. Some readers may not have a problem with this, but I like having some sort of progression through a book - whether it's chronological, developing a theme, character development... anything! But that seems to be totally lacking here.
The writing of each piece is fine I guess, and it would be fine in a magazine article or something. None of the descriptions really blew me away, but YMMV.
Lastly, and this may be jealousy on my part, the whole thing reeks of unacknowledged privilege. The author has spent multi-month periods of time throughout his life backpacking trails across the planet and visiting places (Svalbard and Greenland to name but two) which are simply unavailable to people without the connections and money to get them there. And yet the author has the gall to imply that a life without his adventures and outdoors experience is somehow lesser. I love the outdoors, and I do think it's important to get people out there - but I go for the occasional few days long hike in Scotland and appreciate it, not ski-touring in Svalbard. Even then I have to acknowledge that this hobby (or group of hobbies) is an expensive luxury. Tents and down everythings aren't cheap - so don't sneer at day hikers or imply that a life isn't complete without spending three months walking the length of a country.
November 5, 2017
Great collection of tales from something of a living legend to all of us with a passion for the wilderness and long distance hiking. Highly Recommended
December 18, 2018
Had its moments. The enthusiasm shone through, but it appears little thought was given to repetition when compiling this set of essays. Editor required.
December 28, 2016
He's a bit of a dry writer, unless he's obviously moved by a place. Otherwise it's a pleasant read to connect you with some integrating places and ideas for trips (I totally want to stay in an igloo now). Could do with a bit of an edit to spark some of the essays into life.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews