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Solo intégral
En 2008, l’Amérique découvrait un surdoué de l’escalade. Alex Honnold, 22 ans, venait d’enchaîner dans la même journée deux voies majeures en solo intégral : seul, sans corde, dans les parois parfaitement verticales de l’Ouest américain. Depuis, Alex a tracé sa voie sur les « big walls » du Yosemite, ces « murs » qui frôlent parfois les 1 000 mètres de haut. Au fil des réalisations époustouflantes, servies par des films qui laissent les mains moites, sa notoriété n’a cessé de grandir. Dans ce livre à deux voix, Alex Honnold raconte ses ascensions avec un art consommé du suspense et se dévoile avec sincérité : timide mais solide, passionné, capable d’affronter le risque et d’en parler avec un égal sang-froid.
L’écrivain David Roberts décrypte le jeu « radical » d’Alex et les raisons de sa célébrité : « Alex a poussé la forme la plus extrême et dangereuse de l’escalade bien au-delà des limites de ce qui semblait possible. Dans sa parfaite simplicité, cette quête peut être comprise par l’observateur le plus néophyte. L’enjeu est ultime : tomber, c’est mourir. »
L’écrivain David Roberts décrypte le jeu « radical » d’Alex et les raisons de sa célébrité : « Alex a poussé la forme la plus extrême et dangereuse de l’escalade bien au-delà des limites de ce qui semblait possible. Dans sa parfaite simplicité, cette quête peut être comprise par l’observateur le plus néophyte. L’enjeu est ultime : tomber, c’est mourir. »
267 pages, Paperback
First published November 5, 2015
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9516 people want to read
About the author
Alex Honnold
5 books304 followersFree solo ascents of noted American rock climber Alex Honnold include the first of the faces of Half Dome in 2008 and of El Capitan in 2017 in Yosemite Valley.
People best know this world class of big walls.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Ho...
People best know this world class of big walls.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Ho...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,107 reviews
November 14, 2015
It's tricky to separate the book from the person, as Alex has been one of my closest friends for the past 13 years, the kind of friend I call family. I appreciated that much of it was written by Alex, and his voice in those parts was true. Stylistically, it was a little difficult to read because those parts were all in italics, and it's strange to read most of a novel in italics. I've also learned over the years that, without realizing it, climbers speak a language of terms that non-climbers don't know, and I was pleased that while the author took some time to explain terms, this didn't take too long or slow the book down for those of us who do live this life. That was well done. And Ben's descriptions of the younger Alex match perfectly the boy I first met. (You could write a whole book on Ben & Alex's friendship.)
Alex is one of the smartest people I've ever met, and we bonded early on over exchanging extremely long and challenging books and discussing them. I loved seeing his vocabulary shine through in ways you might not notice if you're reading quickly (ie "ursine heroes" for the Care Bears). He's always challenged me, sure with climbing, but more as a person. And I loved that while this book was mostly a straightforward account of several of his significant climbs, he still made me think, particularly about how to break down life goals and volunteer goals into manageable pieces. That's Alex.
I also loved how both David and Alex gave Stacey the credit for being as awesome as she is. Sometimes the climbing movies gloss over how strong (physically and mentally and emotionally) she is, and this book made time to acknowledge that. She's a wise, kind, determined woman who can win ultramarathons (yes win) and cruise a marathon in under three hours, as well as crank up a 5.12 wall, and I'm thankful he brought her into our lives. She deserved significant space in these pages.
I wish he didn't solo -- I can't watch -- but I agree when he says that he only makes calculated decisions, and I'm proud of him for making a life out of his passion. This is a man who was so deathly shy that he jokes that I taught him to hug, and now I get to watch him interact and speak with crowds and hold his own. That's as much as an accomplishment as any, in my book.
Well done. Good read. Authentic.
Alex is one of the smartest people I've ever met, and we bonded early on over exchanging extremely long and challenging books and discussing them. I loved seeing his vocabulary shine through in ways you might not notice if you're reading quickly (ie "ursine heroes" for the Care Bears). He's always challenged me, sure with climbing, but more as a person. And I loved that while this book was mostly a straightforward account of several of his significant climbs, he still made me think, particularly about how to break down life goals and volunteer goals into manageable pieces. That's Alex.
I also loved how both David and Alex gave Stacey the credit for being as awesome as she is. Sometimes the climbing movies gloss over how strong (physically and mentally and emotionally) she is, and this book made time to acknowledge that. She's a wise, kind, determined woman who can win ultramarathons (yes win) and cruise a marathon in under three hours, as well as crank up a 5.12 wall, and I'm thankful he brought her into our lives. She deserved significant space in these pages.
I wish he didn't solo -- I can't watch -- but I agree when he says that he only makes calculated decisions, and I'm proud of him for making a life out of his passion. This is a man who was so deathly shy that he jokes that I taught him to hug, and now I get to watch him interact and speak with crowds and hold his own. That's as much as an accomplishment as any, in my book.
Well done. Good read. Authentic.
June 25, 2016
Ok, this may be sacrilegious in the climbing community (of which, I am a part), but this book made me dislike a climber I thought I would actually like. There is no doubt that Honnold is an extremely gifted athlete who dares to do things with rock that even the plates and all of their tectonics wouldn't have imagined, but the narrative makes him come off as a snooty, advantaged Cali brat with really problematic and limited perspectives of people not like him.
There is a lot of sexism in the book (hot chick can't even tell the difference between 5.10 and 5.13) and a diminutive look towards developing nations and people (the "Third World" is not a phrase that is used in 2016; nor are ethnic clothes "funny looking.") that borders on the pedantic and suffering from the "white messiah" syndrome: "So I started this foundation to help Africa because it would be bomber environment environment environment" (not direct quote). The Cali pretension of vague environmental consciousness with Thoreauian disapproval of anyone's lifestyle but his (why would people want to eat meat, drink beer, and get married? Yuck!!) was so off-putting.
The sad thing is, all this overshadows a book about some amazing outdoor adventures. It's not written particularly well but I can forgive because Honnold isn't a writer. And there is a chance that the book simply misrepresents the guy; or that my interpretation does. I just felt really gnarly and un-stoked after a climbing guru of mine balayed-off right when I was taking at the crux.
There is a lot of sexism in the book (hot chick can't even tell the difference between 5.10 and 5.13) and a diminutive look towards developing nations and people (the "Third World" is not a phrase that is used in 2016; nor are ethnic clothes "funny looking.") that borders on the pedantic and suffering from the "white messiah" syndrome: "So I started this foundation to help Africa because it would be bomber environment environment environment" (not direct quote). The Cali pretension of vague environmental consciousness with Thoreauian disapproval of anyone's lifestyle but his (why would people want to eat meat, drink beer, and get married? Yuck!!) was so off-putting.
The sad thing is, all this overshadows a book about some amazing outdoor adventures. It's not written particularly well but I can forgive because Honnold isn't a writer. And there is a chance that the book simply misrepresents the guy; or that my interpretation does. I just felt really gnarly and un-stoked after a climbing guru of mine balayed-off right when I was taking at the crux.
Read
October 27, 2018As a non-climber this book didn't really add anything for me that I didn't already get from the film "Free Solo"
July 7, 2019
4.5 rounded down since there's no glossary of terms Alex uses like "send the gnar," "worked," "beta," not to mention all the minute variations in rock like a "smear." But otherwise I flowed over these pages (had them pretty much dialed/couldn’t put it down) like Alex over a 3000-foot granite slab. Read because I watched recently and loved "Free Solo" and "Meru" and "The Dawn Wall," and although I had this one in my queue for months I didn't decide to fire it up until mid-way through On the High Wire by Philippe Petit, a similar daredevil obsessive singular athlete who most famously walked a high wire between the Twin Towers in 1974. Petit's book is more like an esoteric instruction manual and his sensibility seems so Euro slanted and enchanted, whereas Alex Honnold is in many ways the opposite yet equivalent force -- there's no reason to try to judge which insane act of expertise and athleticism and fearlessness and reduced to a perfect form sort of simplicity is radder, as Alex would say, but I had Petit's book in my head the whole time I read this one. Alex, although fluent in French thanks to his language teacher mother, is so very Californian, a low-key dude interested in "chicks" and gnarl adventuring, but more than that he's so casual, so matter of fact, so sincere and "down to earth" yet intentionally and naturally simple that he makes Petit seem, in the best possible way, like a pretentious clown at times, an entertainer/death-defying magician more than whatever Alex is, a California climber bro with good intentions and something gloriously wrong with his built-in fear sensor -- his prose reflects this, straightforward compound sentences with some conversational inflection, unobtrusively integrated slang, exclamation points (Tommy Caldwell excerpts make me want to read his memoir The Push soon). If we read for “worlds” really more than anything else (the great Frank Conroy’s assertion in a writing workshop I was in, fall 2004) Alex succeeded on a language level to immerse me in the sounds and sense of one of the world’s elite “dirtbag” climbers, living in his van, flying all over the world, sponsored by well-known outdoorsy namebrands, low-key climbing steep shit solo, setting speed records, and every once in a while learning that another of their extended climber posse has died — they’re compared to gladiators but there’s also something ninja-ish about them, the respect for what they do, the art and science of it, but also an appreciation that an aspect of its awesomeness is the ever-present underlying consequence of a freak accident, an avalanche, or really even just a split-second of inattention.
There's a definite transcendent spiritual side to what Honnold and Petit do, demonstrating the far-edge potential of our spirit’s ability to overcome seemingly impossible obstacles with persistence, practice, concentration, focus, opportunity, full-on commitment, and a little help from friends. Alex in particular succeeds in doing what they say good writing should do: he makes the strange seem familiar, "freeing" for readers the sense that what he's doing is even possible, climbing without ropes or any sort of protection straight-up El Capitan in Yosemite, 3K feet of granite, perched on tiny "smears," indentations, ripples, worming up vertical fissures, ALL WITHOUT A ROPE OR NET OR anything to make it anything less than a death sentence if he simply slips. He's so good, such a master in terms of technique and temperament -- the Hendrix of climbing -- he makes it seem effortless, a sure sign of mastery, and yet when you watch videos or look at a picture (or even read about it) it induces vertigo and a sense of my god dude is gonna die. When I watched the film, for days after I wondered if he just fell off some cliff in Chad or Patagonia or Nevada -- reading this I started worrying about him again.
Loved the interviews with his friends, expert climbers, the equivalents of Beck, Clapton, and Townsend acknowledging that Hendrix is on another level. Very much liked the alternation between Alex's italicized testimony and David Roberts' narration, which brought the reader to earth, put things in a perspective that Alex certainly does not seem to have. Alex's environmental instinct, his charitable foundation etc, is interesting in terms of karma, that is the chance that his good deeds keep him from falling off the wall somehow, but felt tacked on in this -- although I suppose he does spend his life in National Parks and is glued to these rocks and experiences them in a way no one else on earth really does. I liked also that the last few sections were written by Alex without David Roberts -- for the parts about his monumental soloing achievement, Alex had to push on alone to where only he could go.
There was something very Zen monk-ish about his description toward the end of every move, the hand-holds, each step, the tension in however many digits of his fingers -- like the way a monk spends an afternoon walking across the stones of a garden, focused on every single movement as though life and death hung in the balance.
Generally, I tend to rail against novels that simplify the complexity of existence but this memoir celebrates the simplicity side of the continuum, intentionally living with few possessions, doing all the time what he most wants to do, minimizing his impact, trying to come as close as he can possibly can to perfection. Anyway, if you haven't seen it, I'd definitely recommend "Free Solo" first or even a tour of the related YouTube before reading this, but those who do make it through this won't be disappointed.
There's a definite transcendent spiritual side to what Honnold and Petit do, demonstrating the far-edge potential of our spirit’s ability to overcome seemingly impossible obstacles with persistence, practice, concentration, focus, opportunity, full-on commitment, and a little help from friends. Alex in particular succeeds in doing what they say good writing should do: he makes the strange seem familiar, "freeing" for readers the sense that what he's doing is even possible, climbing without ropes or any sort of protection straight-up El Capitan in Yosemite, 3K feet of granite, perched on tiny "smears," indentations, ripples, worming up vertical fissures, ALL WITHOUT A ROPE OR NET OR anything to make it anything less than a death sentence if he simply slips. He's so good, such a master in terms of technique and temperament -- the Hendrix of climbing -- he makes it seem effortless, a sure sign of mastery, and yet when you watch videos or look at a picture (or even read about it) it induces vertigo and a sense of my god dude is gonna die. When I watched the film, for days after I wondered if he just fell off some cliff in Chad or Patagonia or Nevada -- reading this I started worrying about him again.
Loved the interviews with his friends, expert climbers, the equivalents of Beck, Clapton, and Townsend acknowledging that Hendrix is on another level. Very much liked the alternation between Alex's italicized testimony and David Roberts' narration, which brought the reader to earth, put things in a perspective that Alex certainly does not seem to have. Alex's environmental instinct, his charitable foundation etc, is interesting in terms of karma, that is the chance that his good deeds keep him from falling off the wall somehow, but felt tacked on in this -- although I suppose he does spend his life in National Parks and is glued to these rocks and experiences them in a way no one else on earth really does. I liked also that the last few sections were written by Alex without David Roberts -- for the parts about his monumental soloing achievement, Alex had to push on alone to where only he could go.
There was something very Zen monk-ish about his description toward the end of every move, the hand-holds, each step, the tension in however many digits of his fingers -- like the way a monk spends an afternoon walking across the stones of a garden, focused on every single movement as though life and death hung in the balance.
Generally, I tend to rail against novels that simplify the complexity of existence but this memoir celebrates the simplicity side of the continuum, intentionally living with few possessions, doing all the time what he most wants to do, minimizing his impact, trying to come as close as he can possibly can to perfection. Anyway, if you haven't seen it, I'd definitely recommend "Free Solo" first or even a tour of the related YouTube before reading this, but those who do make it through this won't be disappointed.
June 29, 2024
Last book to finish on Madeira holiday.
Watching YouTube clips of Dan Osman some years back doing insane speed free climbing enticed me to this book. Unfortunately, he took one risk too many and fell to his death. I had also read and enjoyed the Jon Krakauer book ‘Into Thin Air.’
Alex Honnold’s free solo climbing (no aids) is recounted through interviews with David Robert’s. The terminology of climbing takes some assimilation including a unique climb categorisation. And the surfer, valley, climber language is interesting in fact ‘it’s rad…it’s bomber.’
The photos are enough to make you dizzy before you inevitably go to YouTube and see him in action.
Great story where Honnold and a mate are dropped by one of their sponsors after four years and his mate for ten. Reason - they found out how dangerous the sport was. Honnold’s comment made me smile:
‘…I couldn’t help but understand their point of view.’
Reminded of watching a documentary on Rory Gallagher - he of the guitar not free climbing. Like Honnold his life was just focussed on playing the guitar. All else paled beside. I have no real empathy for this type of lifestyle being more the lazy git type. But I can respect it.
Story of when climbing with a mate Hoddold hogs the down jacket eventually wearing two. Reminded me of the two pairs of gloves scene from Dumb and Dumber.
Good news Alex Honnold is still alive aged 38 with two young daughters. His climbing days are behind him but he donates money to environmental solar projects. Ps if you are a UK reader you can never look at him and not see the ex Politician Rory Stewart.
‘On the one hand I am still a kid, full of wonder at the world, chasing dreams of distant summits. But I’m also a father - and this means I am no longer allowed to die.’
Watching YouTube clips of Dan Osman some years back doing insane speed free climbing enticed me to this book. Unfortunately, he took one risk too many and fell to his death. I had also read and enjoyed the Jon Krakauer book ‘Into Thin Air.’
Alex Honnold’s free solo climbing (no aids) is recounted through interviews with David Robert’s. The terminology of climbing takes some assimilation including a unique climb categorisation. And the surfer, valley, climber language is interesting in fact ‘it’s rad…it’s bomber.’
The photos are enough to make you dizzy before you inevitably go to YouTube and see him in action.
Great story where Honnold and a mate are dropped by one of their sponsors after four years and his mate for ten. Reason - they found out how dangerous the sport was. Honnold’s comment made me smile:
‘…I couldn’t help but understand their point of view.’
Reminded of watching a documentary on Rory Gallagher - he of the guitar not free climbing. Like Honnold his life was just focussed on playing the guitar. All else paled beside. I have no real empathy for this type of lifestyle being more the lazy git type. But I can respect it.
Story of when climbing with a mate Hoddold hogs the down jacket eventually wearing two. Reminded me of the two pairs of gloves scene from Dumb and Dumber.
Good news Alex Honnold is still alive aged 38 with two young daughters. His climbing days are behind him but he donates money to environmental solar projects. Ps if you are a UK reader you can never look at him and not see the ex Politician Rory Stewart.
‘On the one hand I am still a kid, full of wonder at the world, chasing dreams of distant summits. But I’m also a father - and this means I am no longer allowed to die.’
March 8, 2018
Coming into the book, I thought Alex Honnold was a pretty amazing person not just for his climbing ability but for his storytelling, humor, modesty, philanthropy and indifference to fame but politeness to the enthusiastic fans who seek out selfies with him at events.
But this book made me feel differently.
The book spends quite a bit of time painting a picture of Alex's don't care attitude which - after hours of hearing about it (audiobook)- makes his seem cocky and irreverent. I had hoped it would have spent more time telling the story of his adventures.
And there's a bit of subtle? sexism - for the few women referenced, they were all referred to as a "chick" outside of his gf and a brief mention of Lynn Hill. And their references were to really stupid things - some chick asked him to sign her boobs. His risk taking limits to impress chicks who wouldn't know the difference between a 5.10 and a 5.13.
From live events, Alex in person is an extremely good storyteller and quite funny. But, the book doesn't show it well and focuses primarily on his controversial decisions around free soloing which got old fast. I'd recommend people skipping the book and sticking to the documentaries like the ones produced by Cedar Wright.
But this book made me feel differently.
The book spends quite a bit of time painting a picture of Alex's don't care attitude which - after hours of hearing about it (audiobook)- makes his seem cocky and irreverent. I had hoped it would have spent more time telling the story of his adventures.
And there's a bit of subtle? sexism - for the few women referenced, they were all referred to as a "chick" outside of his gf and a brief mention of Lynn Hill. And their references were to really stupid things - some chick asked him to sign her boobs. His risk taking limits to impress chicks who wouldn't know the difference between a 5.10 and a 5.13.
From live events, Alex in person is an extremely good storyteller and quite funny. But, the book doesn't show it well and focuses primarily on his controversial decisions around free soloing which got old fast. I'd recommend people skipping the book and sticking to the documentaries like the ones produced by Cedar Wright.
October 16, 2018
This book is very difficult to rate. There were moments that I was eating it up and times I had to drag myself through the pages (and it's not even that long of a book). In the end, I was really frustrated with people praising Alex and then also saying he was whiny. Every time this was "talked" about in the book, Alex would backlash and "say" that it "wasn't really like that". In addition, he comes off as a majorly sexist jerk. There are people in the book that say he is humble, but he constantly comes off as snooty, judgmental and annoying. There were so many times that I wanted to not finish the book because of these problems. As a intermediate climber looking for inspiration, it was truly disheartening.
December 24, 2023
My inner adventurer has been satiated - after reading this book I watched the documentary Free Solo about Alex's climb of El Capitan. And even knowing how it turned how, it was hard to watch!! I like knowing that climbing without ropes is not an adventurist lark or seeking a thrill. He does so much prep work and practices that it's all very thought out and calculated. Still dangerous, tho! I might be inspired to actually try climbing? Quick someone talk me out of it! LOL!
November 12, 2015
I don't quite know how to rate this one properly. I got mixed feelings upon mixed terrain and mixed writing. Some bits of the book were definitely in the 5 stars range whereas some others just barely made it into the 2's. There are great portrayals of some of Alex's most extraordinary feats, quite a few interesting insights of his, quite a few quotes that you'd want to keep close to your heart in your own private booklet for glimpses of truth, and all in all it's a pretty good bio of the young exceptional man. But... Maybe it's just me, that I was hoping for more of that kind of stuff and less casual debris, but I'd say there's a bit too much junk scattered throughout the book. As much as Alex tends to skip pro(tection) in places when he's doing roped ascents, in this book every bolt and cam and anchor and old piece of gear is exactly where you'd usually expect it to be, especially when it's David Roberts voicing it. Don't get me wrong – it's very well written, with good rhythm throughout, but it's just not very daring at all, though, and this is THE book that ought to have been, in my opinion. You get your hands sweaty in the cruxes but, if we should stick to the theory that all climbing is either rad or boring, there are quite a few pitches that I'd skip and a few others that I missed. However, being a lousy climber myself, I don't feel that one is always a valid theory for climbing nor other aspects of life. So... I don't know, would it be somewhere around 3.5 overall, maybe? –not in the YDS, that is :)
June 27, 2017
In case you have been living under a rock for the past decade, or maybe more aptly for a book about the climbing world, in case you HAVEN'T been living under a rock, Alex Honnold is a famous rock climber who free solos. That is to say he climbs impossibly tall slabs of granite. Without a rope. For fun. Alex literally takes his life into his hands each time he climbs, facing the ultimate consequences for even the tiniest mistake. A climbing enthusiast myself, albeit of the sturdily-anchored and heartily-roped kind, I wasn’t looking for a guide on how to improve my technique or learn about new climbing locals, but rather on the reflections and perspectives of a man who has spent untold hours in solitude, teetering on the edge of life and death, fully ensconced in all of the indescribable beauty and untold danger nature has to offer. While the book does fall flat in this regard, Alex does reach some level of self realization regarding dedicating one’s life to the betterment of mankind, a la Ralph Waldo Emerson, “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived; This is to have succeeded.” Unfortunately against the backdrop of Alex’s principally hedonistic pursuits, these thoughts fail to gain much traction. Furthermore, Alex’s descriptions of nature’s 10,000+ foot granite cathedrals fail to truly capture the awe and majesty of the breath-taking scenery he experiences on a daily basis. Nonetheless, the book succeeds as a solid introduction into the personalities and exploits of those who dare to reach further and climb higher.
July 2, 2020
I feel like the writing didn't do Honnold any favors. His physical accomplishments are awe-inspiring. No one can argue with the records he has. However, the book can't hide his cocky and entitled attitudes. Hate to say it, but his personality hindered the reading experience for me.
If you want to know more about the climbing world, and to follow a more likable personality, the documentary The Dawn Wall was much more digestible and beautifully done. That one follows Tommy Caldwell, who was also mentioned quite a bit in Honnold's book.
Even though Alone on the Wall was a mostly average read, I suppose I'm glad to learn more about this extreme sport. I do think that watching Free Solo, the documentary highlighting Honnold's massive solo free climb, would be way more interesting than reading this book.
This book is probably aimed more towards super fans of his, which is fine, but I'm not that demographic. If you are a huge fan of his, then I could see how you could really enjoy this. If you aren't a die-hard fan, watching those documentaries will probably serve you better.
If you want to know more about the climbing world, and to follow a more likable personality, the documentary The Dawn Wall was much more digestible and beautifully done. That one follows Tommy Caldwell, who was also mentioned quite a bit in Honnold's book.
Even though Alone on the Wall was a mostly average read, I suppose I'm glad to learn more about this extreme sport. I do think that watching Free Solo, the documentary highlighting Honnold's massive solo free climb, would be way more interesting than reading this book.
This book is probably aimed more towards super fans of his, which is fine, but I'm not that demographic. If you are a huge fan of his, then I could see how you could really enjoy this. If you aren't a die-hard fan, watching those documentaries will probably serve you better.
February 19, 2016
I have to admit that now I'm more impressed with his speed records, alpine climbing and the routes he linked than with his soloing - weird, huh?
Honnold is... well, Honnold :) Loved every page of it.
Honnold is... well, Honnold :) Loved every page of it.
December 14, 2015
I first learned about Alex Honnold, the guy who climbs large mountains without protective gear (ropes, harnesses, hardware) on 60 minutes. My climbing coworkers are obessed with him, so when I saw this book at the library I thought I would pick it up. I admire the physical strength and craft Alex displays when he is climbing, but outside that this book was just plain dull. Some of the narrative is play by play of his films, and I felt I would have been better served to watch them then read about them. I also expected to read more about his preperation for climbs, thoughts during climbs, what motivates him...I didn't feel like I knew him any better after I finished this book.
February 3, 2020
Having starting rock climbing half a year ago, I've been watching more and more climbing films, and Free Solo is right at the top of the list. Alex Honnold is bad ass, and a nice guy. This was a very easy to read, entertaining book. Much recommend if out door adventure is your thing
September 23, 2025
“Nobody wants me to solo, except me.”
As a very causal rock climber and boulderer (?), I knew the basics about the ~legendary~ Alex Honnold before reading Alone on the Wall. I've seen his free solo up El Capitan in 2018, and knew his reputation as a shy, pretty down to earth guy who was passionate about the sport, especially encouraging/celebrating women climbers. I also knew he's now a doting father of two, and while his passion for climbing hasn't slowed down, he's being more mindful about the risks he takes.
“One of my favorite aspects of soloing is the way that pain ceases to exist”
Alone of the Wall was published in 2015, before those big life changes. At this point in his life, he was still just a kid who just wanted to rock climb and do some good in the world (he co-wrote this book when he was 29, which as a 29 year old, is still a kid imho). And to get a 29 year old rock climber's life into a memoir that was interesting, educational, and thoughtful, is an awesome feat that was thanks in-part to the late adventure writer David Roberts.
A decent portion of the memoir, mostly found in Roberts' sections, deal with Honnold's perceived arrogance at times, especially when he was a young upstart. A common theme throughout Honnold's writings was his easy admittance to being wrong, not knowing something, and yes, being a dick sometimes (he was a guy in his early to mid-20s, of course he was a dick sometimes). But through climbing, and having these experiences across cultures and communities, he's grown into a contemplative and responsible human being. That much is obvious by his continued commitment to conservation, justice, and clean energy work through the The Honnold Foundation, and the plain fact that it's pretty hard to find a truly negative thing about him (also as a big reader himself, his list of recommended books on his foundation's website is killer).
"Almost at once, however, I had my qualms about the project. Ever since my “epiphany” in Chad, I’d agonized over the environmental impact of my climbing. To fly the three of us down to Mexico—not to mention other crew members to operate automated drones to capture footage high on the wall—would be to leave a sizable carbon footprint. Could I really justify burning all that jet fuel and using pricey high-tech hardware just to capture my several hours of play on Portrero Chico?”
While this is a memoir about Honnold and the awesome life he's lived so far, I think a main thesis (intentional or not), was to give confidence to his audience that despite the horrifying looking things he does- he's not an idiot. He knows that free soloing is dangerous, but his faith in his skills, earned technical knowledge, and just old fashioned skill makes him one of the most safe and consciousness climbers out there. And he points out that he's not always pull death-defying free solos, those are just the ones that get the most attention. It's like seeing Tony Hawk, known helmet wearer, taking his daughter for a ride at home without a helmet. It's fucking Tony Hawk, it'll be fine.
Honnold was, and is a low-key guy about his big accomplishments, but loves to hype up others and use what influence he has for good. Usually when I'm hearing about him nowadays, he's announcing a new conservation effort, or celebrating another climber. I think he's using his notoriety responsibly and with intention, and that rocks. He's out there living his best life, doing what he loves everyday with the people he loves. What's better than that? The book didn't change my life, but it delivered on it's promise to teach me more about Alex Honnold's life, so that's a win for me.
"On the summit, part of me wished that someone, anyone, had noticed that I’d just done something noteworthy—though maybe it was better that I didn’t have to talk to anybody. How could I have expressed what my last few hours had been like? It was enough that I knew."
Not everything in Alone on the Wall has aged pretty well, calling women "chicks" (which is honestly more funny than insulting to be using as slang anymore), and a praise of Elon Musk's environmental stewardship (whoops!! it was 2015). But those were literally my only issues and they are minor, but would be silly not to bring up. I'm sure he finds them cringe now too, a decade later!
October 19, 2018
Having just seen Free Solo at the movies, I was drawn to the book, the signing of which got him together with his highly sympathetic girlfriend Sanni. Fortunately, it complements the movie well.
Unlike when Kotler embellishes the “extreme” experience of surfing a wave through pages of vivid prose, NOTHING written can approximate the impact of seeing video of Alex free climbing. And the movie includes voice, facial expression, and beautiful nature, all of which is hard in print and a few excellent black and white photos. So go see that movie (theaters still right now), and Sufferfest (online), and I’ve queued up some of the other indie films cited. Extra awesome is how he notes that El Cap is too hard to free solo in the first parts of the book, and the new edition includes the update of how he does.
The book shines both in it’s scope — covering his whole life, including many trips and many friendships, and includes many more details that could fit on video. We also get to enjoy the inside of Alex’s mind a lot more, and see more of his journals verbatim. “I could suddenly travel full-time without feeling like I had to come back for something.”(p194) Obviously we get to witness much more of Alex’s impressive intellectual and spiritual depth, especially insight into his passion to stop climate change, and all of the thought and effort going into his foundation. (to which i was delighted to send a small donation.) And, “I knew rationally that every other serious sport had […] PTs and masseuses […] but for whatever reason, I’d always felt that climbers could just live in the dirt and somehow recover naturally. this was my first time embracing the help.” (p217)
The book can go places were cameras cannot, like the entire traverse of Fitzroy. Aside, it’s amazing to me that 3.5mi of horizontal distance can take 4-5 exhausting days with 13,000’ of ascents and corresponding descents. And gems from memory like “Tommy just picked up a stone and wedged it into a 4 inch crack for an anchor. I said, “wow, did you ever do that before?” Tommy reassured me: “It’s bomber.”” Or, “There was no point in shooting a whole movie about a homeless man who travelled around climbing on rocks unless it was all building up to soloing the most magnificent rock in the world.” (p204) Or, "I looked forward to the book tour […] to meet women and mingle a bit […] I was hindered by […] my general lack of charm.” (p205)
I love hearing Alex’s voice pop out in his unique youthful vocabulary: a frikin rad climb, a bombed rope line, “send the gnar”/"my commitment to sending the gnar” (p216), taking care not to get "too pumped or superpumped". And I love his raw honesty, notably as it matures and deepens over just 6 years.
He's also fully bilingual with French and crafts gifted prose, “Care Bears, the ursine heroes live in lairs among the clouds”. (p172)
This book is an effective collaboration between the raw power of Alex’s own voice and the expert craftsmanship, interviewing and research of a adventure sport journalist. Both put their hearts and prodigous telents into creating lasting, sustainable value. I would expect no less, given Alex’s relentless striving for perfection!
Unlike when Kotler embellishes the “extreme” experience of surfing a wave through pages of vivid prose, NOTHING written can approximate the impact of seeing video of Alex free climbing. And the movie includes voice, facial expression, and beautiful nature, all of which is hard in print and a few excellent black and white photos. So go see that movie (theaters still right now), and Sufferfest (online), and I’ve queued up some of the other indie films cited. Extra awesome is how he notes that El Cap is too hard to free solo in the first parts of the book, and the new edition includes the update of how he does.
The book shines both in it’s scope — covering his whole life, including many trips and many friendships, and includes many more details that could fit on video. We also get to enjoy the inside of Alex’s mind a lot more, and see more of his journals verbatim. “I could suddenly travel full-time without feeling like I had to come back for something.”(p194) Obviously we get to witness much more of Alex’s impressive intellectual and spiritual depth, especially insight into his passion to stop climate change, and all of the thought and effort going into his foundation. (to which i was delighted to send a small donation.) And, “I knew rationally that every other serious sport had […] PTs and masseuses […] but for whatever reason, I’d always felt that climbers could just live in the dirt and somehow recover naturally. this was my first time embracing the help.” (p217)
The book can go places were cameras cannot, like the entire traverse of Fitzroy. Aside, it’s amazing to me that 3.5mi of horizontal distance can take 4-5 exhausting days with 13,000’ of ascents and corresponding descents. And gems from memory like “Tommy just picked up a stone and wedged it into a 4 inch crack for an anchor. I said, “wow, did you ever do that before?” Tommy reassured me: “It’s bomber.”” Or, “There was no point in shooting a whole movie about a homeless man who travelled around climbing on rocks unless it was all building up to soloing the most magnificent rock in the world.” (p204) Or, "I looked forward to the book tour […] to meet women and mingle a bit […] I was hindered by […] my general lack of charm.” (p205)
I love hearing Alex’s voice pop out in his unique youthful vocabulary: a frikin rad climb, a bombed rope line, “send the gnar”/"my commitment to sending the gnar” (p216), taking care not to get "too pumped or superpumped". And I love his raw honesty, notably as it matures and deepens over just 6 years.
He's also fully bilingual with French and crafts gifted prose, “Care Bears, the ursine heroes live in lairs among the clouds”. (p172)
This book is an effective collaboration between the raw power of Alex’s own voice and the expert craftsmanship, interviewing and research of a adventure sport journalist. Both put their hearts and prodigous telents into creating lasting, sustainable value. I would expect no less, given Alex’s relentless striving for perfection!
June 29, 2016
I'm conflicted about this book. It's written well and can be appreciated by both rock climbers and non-climbers. Honnold is both an astounding climber and a very thoughtful, philosophical person, and that shines through in the book's stories - in much more depth than in the interviews or videos of him I've watched previously. I like hearing what he has to say. But I had to put the book down after reading about 2/3 of it, and come back to it later, because it was just making me anxious.
I guess I was hoping to be reassured about the risk level and his ability to prepare and take precautions, and I wasn't. While his skill and his ability to keep a level head in extreme situations qualify him to be able to accomplish things that others wouldn't even attempt, it's clear that he's not always prepared. Sometimes he decides not to go ahead, other times he goes anyways. He has a lot of experience to make good decisions and immense ability to overcome bad ones, but it's still probably true that he'll either eventually lose interest in pushing limits in free soloing, or will die at it: not because he tried something that was too hard for him, but just because there's no backup if something random and unexpected catches him.
There's a lot about Alex Honnold to admire, but there's no way I would ever want my climbing enthusiast daughter to emulate him. That saddens me, and I can't separate that feeling from my evaluation of the book itself.
I guess I was hoping to be reassured about the risk level and his ability to prepare and take precautions, and I wasn't. While his skill and his ability to keep a level head in extreme situations qualify him to be able to accomplish things that others wouldn't even attempt, it's clear that he's not always prepared. Sometimes he decides not to go ahead, other times he goes anyways. He has a lot of experience to make good decisions and immense ability to overcome bad ones, but it's still probably true that he'll either eventually lose interest in pushing limits in free soloing, or will die at it: not because he tried something that was too hard for him, but just because there's no backup if something random and unexpected catches him.
There's a lot about Alex Honnold to admire, but there's no way I would ever want my climbing enthusiast daughter to emulate him. That saddens me, and I can't separate that feeling from my evaluation of the book itself.
July 25, 2025
The perfect case of a movie (FreeSolo) being worth a thousand words
Don't get me wrong the book is still worth it, but it has many flaws, whereas the movie is so direct and immediate.
This bio explores "Mr NoBigDeal" personal journey, from a shy, nerdy kid to one of the world's most fearless climbers.
It dissects the psychology of risk and fear: how he manages fear, what motivates him, and how he calculates danger with a rational, almost detached mindset.
At first glance, Alone on the Wall reads like an adrenaline-soaked memoir of superhuman feats: climbing vertical cliffs without ropes, hanging by fingertips thousands of feet above the ground. But what makes this book so compelling isn’t just the jaw-dropping action—it’s the mindset behind it.
In the end, there’s no clear “takeaway” here, even though we'd love to find it. Honnold’s journey and mindset are so unique that they don’t offer easy lessons: yes, not thinking about too much specifically that if you fail the next move you'll die, is a good lesson, but how practical?
Alone on the Wall is less a guide and more a portrait of a singular individual pushing human potential to its edge. Fascinating, inspiring, but above all, utterly unrelatable—which is exactly what makes it worth reading.
Alex returns again and again to one core message: he’s not crazy, he doesn’t engage in mindless challenges.
Far from being a reckless thrill-seeker, Honnold presents himself as a deeply rational, almost coldly analytical person. He explains that he only free-solos when he’s absolutely certain of his ability—not confident, but certain, thanks to obsessive training and rehearsal. To him, it would be reckless not to prepare to the point of near-perfection. That’s the reason why, when training for the iconic climb of El Capitan, he pushes himself so hard: not for glory, but to make the impossible feel safe—to himself.
His logical reasoning is spot-on: if I can do a 5.11 (climbing stats) I can easily do 5.10.
Even though this sound rational, one of his closest companions has a different idea
To be fair Alex Honnold does have an unusual neurological profile—specifically related to fear processing in the amygdala, but not due to a diagnosed pathology or disorder.
He climbs without ropes up vertical granite walls — a feat that seems to defy human limits — but when he talks about it, it sounds logical, almost mundane. He says things like, "I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t feel 100% ready," which downplays the immense psychological and physical challenge.
This forma mentis is crystal clear and repeated many times: stay humble, stay focused.
He never pretends he’s not doing something exceptional — but he credits preparation, discipline, and deliberate training more than talent or bravery. He doesn’t deny that what he does is extreme, but he also doesn’t romanticize it.
Honnold’s mindset is analytical, even mathematical, not thrill-seeking. He’s not a daredevil—he trains, plans, and rehearses every move.
It’s a portrait of someone who continually redefines what’s humanly possible but remains oddly humble and pragmatic.
The main prove that he is not a mad horse, is simply the fact that he still alive...
Honnold’s approach to free soloing boils down to radical presence, almost a form of deep meditation: thinking only about the next move, the next foothold, the next shift in balance. He detaches from the psychological weight of being hundreds of meters up without a rope and narrows his world down to what’s right in front of him. It’s not just confidence — it’s trained mental discipline.
The key to his success, as he often notes, lies in thinking one move at a time—forgetting that he’s hundreds of meters in the air without a rope, and focusing instead on the next handhold, the next shift in balance. It sounds simple, but it’s a level of presence and focus that borders on superhuman.
Of course this is easier said than done, because for "normal" human beings that is just impossible
The main pain point is the detailed accounts of climbs like Moonlight Buttress in Zion, Half Dome, and of course, El Capitan, each told with clarity and tension.
To fully appreciate it, I believe you need to be a climber—or at least familiar with the world of climbing. As someone who isn’t, I found myself admiring the achievements more than connecting deeply with the technical narratives.
It gets tedious pretty fast.
Don't get me wrong the book is still worth it, but it has many flaws, whereas the movie is so direct and immediate.
This bio explores "Mr NoBigDeal" personal journey, from a shy, nerdy kid to one of the world's most fearless climbers.
It dissects the psychology of risk and fear: how he manages fear, what motivates him, and how he calculates danger with a rational, almost detached mindset.
At first glance, Alone on the Wall reads like an adrenaline-soaked memoir of superhuman feats: climbing vertical cliffs without ropes, hanging by fingertips thousands of feet above the ground. But what makes this book so compelling isn’t just the jaw-dropping action—it’s the mindset behind it.
In the end, there’s no clear “takeaway” here, even though we'd love to find it. Honnold’s journey and mindset are so unique that they don’t offer easy lessons: yes, not thinking about too much specifically that if you fail the next move you'll die, is a good lesson, but how practical?
Alone on the Wall is less a guide and more a portrait of a singular individual pushing human potential to its edge. Fascinating, inspiring, but above all, utterly unrelatable—which is exactly what makes it worth reading.
Alex returns again and again to one core message: he’s not crazy, he doesn’t engage in mindless challenges.
Far from being a reckless thrill-seeker, Honnold presents himself as a deeply rational, almost coldly analytical person. He explains that he only free-solos when he’s absolutely certain of his ability—not confident, but certain, thanks to obsessive training and rehearsal. To him, it would be reckless not to prepare to the point of near-perfection. That’s the reason why, when training for the iconic climb of El Capitan, he pushes himself so hard: not for glory, but to make the impossible feel safe—to himself.
His logical reasoning is spot-on: if I can do a 5.11 (climbing stats) I can easily do 5.10.
Even though this sound rational, one of his closest companions has a different idea
Drawn to Alex by his skill and amiability, Tommy puzzled over his friend's almost blasé attitude about risk.
How could Alex talk about his climbs in such a cavalier way?....
He described free solos of routes like the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome as if they were nothing more than particularly scenic hikes. His conversation never drifted to places of death, love or even innate beauty. It's as if he thinks everything is either badass or boring, I thought. That's probably part of the reason he is so good at what he does. I found Alex's apparent indifference toward risk both exciting and terrifying. In an age of technology, he reminded me of a lost instinct. A hunter, a warrior.
Whatever Tommy's doubts, he soon realized that he and Alex made a superb two-man team. On their Triple Crown linkup in 2012, in the middle of the night on Freerider on El Cap, Alex had been deeply impressed by Tommy's stemming a pitch in the dark that he normally would have liebacked. But Tommy was equally impressed by Alex's nerve and aplomb.
He rarely stopped to place gear, only a few pieces per pitch. Somehow, that boldness, that confidence that he wouldn't fall, was contagious....
Tied to the upper end of the rope, Alex was simul-climbing out of sight and earshot. Above me, the cord arched past a dark offwidth-clipped to nothing. My arms quivered with fatigue; my head pounded with dehydration. I hoped to God that he had some gear in. Best not to think too much about it.
To be fair Alex Honnold does have an unusual neurological profile—specifically related to fear processing in the amygdala, but not due to a diagnosed pathology or disorder.
He climbs without ropes up vertical granite walls — a feat that seems to defy human limits — but when he talks about it, it sounds logical, almost mundane. He says things like, "I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t feel 100% ready," which downplays the immense psychological and physical challenge.
This forma mentis is crystal clear and repeated many times: stay humble, stay focused.
He never pretends he’s not doing something exceptional — but he credits preparation, discipline, and deliberate training more than talent or bravery. He doesn’t deny that what he does is extreme, but he also doesn’t romanticize it.
It was a good reminder to stay humble and keep asking for help. Each of my friends had something to teach me or remind me on the route. I was grateful that I now could be somewhat more open about my project and solicit opinions and advice. Keeping my dream of free soloing El Cap entirely to myself would have also meant that I'd be stuck with all my own beta. No advice from my friends, no one to help me with the work.
Honnold’s mindset is analytical, even mathematical, not thrill-seeking. He’s not a daredevil—he trains, plans, and rehearses every move.
It’s a portrait of someone who continually redefines what’s humanly possible but remains oddly humble and pragmatic.
The main prove that he is not a mad horse, is simply the fact that he still alive...
Honnold’s approach to free soloing boils down to radical presence, almost a form of deep meditation: thinking only about the next move, the next foothold, the next shift in balance. He detaches from the psychological weight of being hundreds of meters up without a rope and narrows his world down to what’s right in front of him. It’s not just confidence — it’s trained mental discipline.
The key to his success, as he often notes, lies in thinking one move at a time—forgetting that he’s hundreds of meters in the air without a rope, and focusing instead on the next handhold, the next shift in balance. It sounds simple, but it’s a level of presence and focus that borders on superhuman.
Of course this is easier said than done, because for "normal" human beings that is just impossible
Had I stopped to think about it, I might have been nervous, or anxious that I was on the least secure part of the route. But that's why I didn't stop-I'd done all my thinking over the last six weeks as I worked on the route. I was fully prepared and knew exactly what to do. This wasn't the time for apprehension. It was the time for execution.
The main pain point is the detailed accounts of climbs like Moonlight Buttress in Zion, Half Dome, and of course, El Capitan, each told with clarity and tension.
To fully appreciate it, I believe you need to be a climber—or at least familiar with the world of climbing. As someone who isn’t, I found myself admiring the achievements more than connecting deeply with the technical narratives.
It gets tedious pretty fast.
The 5.11b roof above me marked the first real climbing on the route. I had to trust my feet to tiny edges and pull hard with my fingers. It was the first section of the route that required total commitment. I could climb all the 5.10 cracks with complete controlif a foot slipped or I broke a handhold, it might not matter because I felt so solid. There's a big mental difference for me between real soloing, meaning total commitment, and easy soloing, which I can overpower if I need to in order to make it feel secure
February 2, 2023
I knew alot about Alex and his climbing achievements already but damn this book gives you so much insight into the tiny details of his massive free solos adventures.
Feeling inspired as hell for my own climbing goals this year.
Very nice read even if you know nothing about climbing. Definately gets the hands sweating.
Feeling inspired as hell for my own climbing goals this year.
Very nice read even if you know nothing about climbing. Definately gets the hands sweating.
January 14, 2025
Not what I typically read, but I was in the mood for it, so it worked.
Alex Honnold is a famous rock climber who free solos. That means he climbs impossibly tall slabs of granite without a rope for fun. Alex literally takes his life into his hands each time he climbs, facing the ultimate consequences for even the tiniest mistake. A climbing enthusiast myself, albeit of the sturdily-anchored and heartily-roped kind, I wasn’t looking for a guide on how to improve my technique or learn about new climbing locals, but rather on the reflections and perspectives of a man who has spent untold hours in solitude, teetering on the edge of life and death, fully ensconced in all of the indescribable beauty and untold danger nature has to offer.
While the book does fall flat in this regard, Alex does reach some level of self realization regarding dedicating one’s life to the betterment of mankind, a la Ralph Waldo Emerson, “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived; This is to have succeeded.” Unfortunately against the backdrop of Alex’s principally hedonistic pursuits, these thoughts fail to gain much traction. Furthermore, Alex’s descriptions of nature’s 10,000+ foot granite cathedrals fail to truly capture the awe and majesty of the breath-taking scenery he experiences on a daily basis. Nonetheless, the book succeeds as a solid introduction into the personalities and exploits of those who dare to reach further and climb higher.
Alex Honnold is a famous rock climber who free solos. That means he climbs impossibly tall slabs of granite without a rope for fun. Alex literally takes his life into his hands each time he climbs, facing the ultimate consequences for even the tiniest mistake. A climbing enthusiast myself, albeit of the sturdily-anchored and heartily-roped kind, I wasn’t looking for a guide on how to improve my technique or learn about new climbing locals, but rather on the reflections and perspectives of a man who has spent untold hours in solitude, teetering on the edge of life and death, fully ensconced in all of the indescribable beauty and untold danger nature has to offer.
While the book does fall flat in this regard, Alex does reach some level of self realization regarding dedicating one’s life to the betterment of mankind, a la Ralph Waldo Emerson, “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived; This is to have succeeded.” Unfortunately against the backdrop of Alex’s principally hedonistic pursuits, these thoughts fail to gain much traction. Furthermore, Alex’s descriptions of nature’s 10,000+ foot granite cathedrals fail to truly capture the awe and majesty of the breath-taking scenery he experiences on a daily basis. Nonetheless, the book succeeds as a solid introduction into the personalities and exploits of those who dare to reach further and climb higher.
March 12, 2019
I was familiar with Alex Honnold's work before reading this book and I had seen Valley Uprising, Free Solo and The Dawn Wall as well as read some articles and seen some videos with Tommy and Alex. And I have to admit, since winning the Oscar, information about climbing and, especially, Alex, has been everywhere. I, myself, have a bit of a soft spot for Tommy, so I was very happy for the bits that he was featured in.
This book, tells things that the Free Solo didn't. It talks about Alex's life and ascents before El Cap (in a lot more detail than in the film), it talks about other climbers and friends, which I recognised and could recall their achievements, that added a nice flavour to the book. And it was generally a nice book, covering quite a lot of information and mentioning a lot of films and books about climbing, which is very nice if you are looking for more information. Technically the only thing I wanted there were charts of the ascents (similar like to the Feb NatGeo of the El Cap) to have a better picture in my mind of what exactly happened.
David Roberts and Alex Honnold have done a wonderful job on the book, opening the climbing world a bit more to the general public.
That said though, I felt like the book lacked a bit of soul. Don't get me wrong, I admire and feel inspired by many of the climbers mentioned in this book, but somehow the Free Solo film touched me more than this book. It felt like it is lacking a bit, hence the 3.5 stars.
This book, tells things that the Free Solo didn't. It talks about Alex's life and ascents before El Cap (in a lot more detail than in the film), it talks about other climbers and friends, which I recognised and could recall their achievements, that added a nice flavour to the book. And it was generally a nice book, covering quite a lot of information and mentioning a lot of films and books about climbing, which is very nice if you are looking for more information. Technically the only thing I wanted there were charts of the ascents (similar like to the Feb NatGeo of the El Cap) to have a better picture in my mind of what exactly happened.
David Roberts and Alex Honnold have done a wonderful job on the book, opening the climbing world a bit more to the general public.
That said though, I felt like the book lacked a bit of soul. Don't get me wrong, I admire and feel inspired by many of the climbers mentioned in this book, but somehow the Free Solo film touched me more than this book. It felt like it is lacking a bit, hence the 3.5 stars.
April 28, 2017
I really like this endurance athlete genre and this one by the world's best(?) free solo climber was interesting and inspiring but super technical climbing talk made it hard to follow. Pretty funny to hear him talk about base jumpers like they're crazy when he climbs 2,000-foot walls without ropes. I liked this quote referenced in the book:
National Geographic Adventure: “If you don’t believe in God or an after-life, doesn’t that make this life all the more precious?”
Alex Honnold: “I suppose so, but just because something is precious doesn’t mean you have to baby it. Just like the suburbanites who have a shiny new SUV that they are afraid to dent. What’s the point of having an amazing vehicle if you’re afraid to drive it? I’m trying to take my vehicle to new and interesting places. And I try my very best not to crash, but at least I take it out.”
National Geographic Adventure: “If you don’t believe in God or an after-life, doesn’t that make this life all the more precious?”
Alex Honnold: “I suppose so, but just because something is precious doesn’t mean you have to baby it. Just like the suburbanites who have a shiny new SUV that they are afraid to dent. What’s the point of having an amazing vehicle if you’re afraid to drive it? I’m trying to take my vehicle to new and interesting places. And I try my very best not to crash, but at least I take it out.”
May 29, 2015
Alex Honnold is a free climber with unparalleled skill, grace, and speed. He says, "Half way up I'm pretty empty. I'm not really thinking about anything. It's like asking a gymnast what they're thinking about while they're executing a perfect routine." He comes across as a reserved guy who isn't at all full of himself. If you are interested in what motivates the guy who does the most death-defying climbs at record speed, read this book. At the end, you'll be left wondering how much longer he can continue to climb at this level and you'll hope & pray that he is real with himself about his own (though seemingly super-human) limits.
December 16, 2019
eh, kinda cool but i didn’t really care and didn’t really like the guy who it was about
November 15, 2020
Nice insight to Honnolds accomplishments, along with some of his thought processes.
June 27, 2025
„Сам на скалата“ предоставя близка среща с легендарния катерач Алекс Хонълд. Неговите солови проекти накараха на редица хора сърцата им да прескочат някой и друг пулс, докато ръцете им се потят, а очите им не са сигурни дали искат или не искат да гледат това, което Хонълд прави. Книгата е написан в съавторство с журналиста Дейвид Робъртс, което добавя и страничен поглед към личността на Алекс. Разказани са както началните му стъпки в катеренто, така и всички големи проекти до момента на написването на книгата, включително и някои алпийски постижения. Философията на Хонълд е относно соловото катерене е простичка и откровена, но няма да ви я споделя, за да имате мотивация сами да изучите личността му. Но ще спомена само как е започнал да катери соло - много просто, не е имал с кого да катери с въже... Та заради това, когато ви поканят на катерене - не отказвайте, не се знае с колко луд човек сте се захванали ;)
Относно стилът на книгата - не се тревожете.
Той е директен, скромен и без излишен драматизъм — съвсем в духа на личността, която читателят постепенно опознава. Не е изпълнена с чак толкова термини, които да са неразбираеми извън общността. Пък и в днешно време всичко може да се провери много лесно, та вярвам, че няма да изпитвате трудности при четенето на книгата. Това, което ще изпитате обаче е именно споменатото вече изпотяване на дланите. Защото дори и в книга, приключенията на Алекс са доста, доста старшнички.
Това е книга най-вече за дисциплина, упоритост и в случая клишето е твърде вярно - живот, прекаран на ръба. Това, което отличава Алекс Хонълд от редица други спортисти е, че той не се опитва да се изкара герой. Напротив, той е директен, откровен, скромен и постоянно търсещ следващото приключение. А рискът - той със сигурност знае как да живее с него и да го свежда до минимум. Защото почти всичко идва от ума. И това е още един урок, който можем да научим от книгата. Как да се справим със самите себе си. Е, винаги съществуват и външните фактори, но това е част от приключението.
П.С. Едно от най-ненормалните неща, за които разбрах от книгата е, че не стига, че изкачва безумно трудни маршрути соло, ами някои места ги повтаря още веднъж, за да ги заснемат за филми. Е, това вече е прекалено!
Относно стилът на книгата - не се тревожете.
Той е директен, скромен и без излишен драматизъм — съвсем в духа на личността, която читателят постепенно опознава. Не е изпълнена с чак толкова термини, които да са неразбираеми извън общността. Пък и в днешно време всичко може да се провери много лесно, та вярвам, че няма да изпитвате трудности при четенето на книгата. Това, което ще изпитате обаче е именно споменатото вече изпотяване на дланите. Защото дори и в книга, приключенията на Алекс са доста, доста старшнички.
Това е книга най-вече за дисциплина, упоритост и в случая клишето е твърде вярно - живот, прекаран на ръба. Това, което отличава Алекс Хонълд от редица други спортисти е, че той не се опитва да се изкара герой. Напротив, той е директен, откровен, скромен и постоянно търсещ следващото приключение. А рискът - той със сигурност знае как да живее с него и да го свежда до минимум. Защото почти всичко идва от ума. И това е още един урок, който можем да научим от книгата. Как да се справим със самите себе си. Е, винаги съществуват и външните фактори, но това е част от приключението.
П.С. Едно от най-ненормалните неща, за които разбрах от книгата е, че не стига, че изкачва безумно трудни маршрути соло, ами някои места ги повтаря още веднъж, за да ги заснемат за филми. Е, това вече е прекалено!
February 2, 2022
Loved the insight on grit, fear, and adventure. 10/10 for subject matter, less impressed with the actual writing.
May 19, 2023
I remember watching Valley Uprising a few years ago and LOVED it even though I had no interest in rock climbing. I thought this book would be similar to that but I just found it to be ok.
March 4, 2023
Pretty good
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