Stories from the Dirt: Indiscretions of an Adventure Junkie

by John Long

Riding tubes in Venezuela. BASE jumping in Europe. Climbing big walls in Yosemite. Riding bulls in Texas.

These first-person stories from acclaimed climber and adventurer John Long may be vastly different in content, but they share an identifiable emotional texture, tone and delivery, and fundamentally are of one piece. This is storytelling at its best--nonfiction that reads like fiction. In Stories from the Dirt, the action leaves you breathless, but it's the characters that really leave a lasting mark. Like all stories worth a damn, this collection is all about the people.

Genres: Nature, Adventure, Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2017

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

John Long is an American rock climber and author.

Reviews

[Stavro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting read. I've always been fascinated by some of the extreme lengths humans go through to satisfy their need for an 'adrenaline rush.'

As much as I think of myself as a somewhat adrenaline junkie, after reading this I realize I am not and wouldn't fit in with this crowd lol.

I'll stick to more calculated tame adventures. I have no death wish.

Some stories were better than others as is normal but all in all a fun read. Some real moments of awe and some of holy 💩!

Good overall read.

[Derek Fleming · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read for a pretty risk-averse accountant... tbh I’ve never really understood the mindset of adrenaline rush seekers. But about halfway through reading ‘Dirt’ my buddy said to me “they are addicts - think of them like anyone who needs their next hit” and it all started to make a little more sense to me. That said, I remain perfectly content hiking a mountain trail... I have no desire to climb the face of it or to jump off the edge of it!

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Long is a true adventurer and it was really engaging to read some of his stories. While I know him as a climber, his adventures extend far beyond climbing or apply it in ways that I never thought about before. I will be reading more from him, that's for sure!

[TJ Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rough stuff in here.

Lots of breath-sucking moments (though not sure if all of them are true to life) and worth the read if you want to know adventures that are long past.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun ride. Probably some of the most enjoyable non-fiction prose on the market. John draws you into and through this wild network of adventures ratcheting between them, all the while weaving in bygone characters and events that give these adventures historical context. The only reason I left out the 5th star is because it really is a collection of stories and although they defer to a similar theme -- that adventure is dangerous and deadly to those willing to pursue it to it's purist conclusion, and possibly holds an allure worth celebrating -- it doesn't hold to a singular arch.
***
"I wheel into the grassy park below Aspen Mountain and start shooting photos of 156 ultra-runners attempting the Icebreaker Grand Traverse, a 42 mile run along the mountainous ridge stretching from Crested Butte to Aspen. It starts raining around noon and the park is a swirling mud hole. The runners are crushed. Several fall face down in the mud as they slosh across the finish. Some weep and laugh at the same time, as if their greatest joy might be running themselves to death."

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the beginning essays the most, since they were written when the author was a little older and had a more mature perspective. Some of the later essays, while telling harrowing and exciting tales, portrayed youthful self-absorption and thoughtlessness that annoyed me. The adventures were all very well-written and engrossing.

[Kevin X · Rating 5 out of 5]

An entertaining first-hand tale of the characters from the history of extreme and obscure sports. JL captures a lot in a few words in each story. A fun read and perfect for a travel companion book. Easy to knock out a story (chapter) while waiting for a train or flight.

[Eric Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a fun book, but it left me disturbed.

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for people who love adventures and can't get out on their own for any reason. I looked foward to “going on an adventure” in between my busy life. Liked some stories more than others, naturally. All in all most were exciting and nothing less than interesting! Thanks John!