The Sky's the Limit: The story of Vicky Jack and her quest to climb the seven summits

by Anna Magnusson

There is a that travel and exploration are the privileged pastimes of youth. Adventure has an age restriction, and the extraordinary an expiry date. Vicky Jack’s inspiring tale of courage, perseverance and strong-headedness reveals the falsity behind this myth as she becomes the oldest British woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest. The Sky’s the Limit  is the account of Vicky’s journey from the Munros of her native Scotland to the summit of the world’s highest peak. Her pilgrimage is full of trials as she battles through Antarctic storms, falls off Mt McKinley in Alaska, is shot at in Indonesia, and runs out of oxygen on Mt Everest; yet Vicky’s characteristic determination is never diluted as she strives towards her goal. Anna Magnusson brilliantly captures Vicky’s sense of ambition, faithfully retelling this tale of inspiration, challenge and success. This story is both a reminder to all that it is never too late to chase a childhood ambition, and an encouragement to never give up on your dreams – no matter how out of reach they may seem.

Genres: Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2008

Reviews

[Gracie! · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled upon this book in my public library but since finding this book, my approach and outlook on life has been completely transformed. Women like Vicky Jack are a part of the reason I feel a sense of belonging in sports and optimism towards my own potential/capabilities and future. Even if you aren’t interested in mountaineering, this book is full of resilience and real life. A true testament to the importance of public libraries for inspiring and building a curious and resilient society.

“You can make a lot of noise and run along madly in life, and then, gently, the truth of who you are and what you want comes up to the surface, calmly and quitely”

[Jacqui Carrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspiring read. It made me think about how we limit our goals with our thoughts. I think the journeys up the mountains were more dramatic than the telling of the story which somehow reflects Vicky’s character.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over the past year I’ve followed climber Alan Arnette as he seeks to reach the highest summit on each continent--the aptly named “Seven Summits.” (Arnette is doing it to raise support for Alzheimer’s research.) In addition to following his blog, I decided to seek out a book about previous climbers who’ve attempted this feat. My local bookstore happened to have The Sky’s the Limit: The Story of Vicky Jack and Her Quest to Climb the Seven Summits.

More than any other climbing book I’ve read, this retelling of Ms. Jack’s adventure gets a light and life-affirming treatment. This book is highly congratulatory and inspirational, in contrast to other climbing tomes that focus on controversy. For a few chapters, I even worried this book would prove too watered down to be compelling.

In particular, the chapter on climbing Mount Kilimanjaro almost reads like a day trip—and climbing that African summit is no small achievement. So my one literary criticism would be that author Anna Magnusson doesn’t appear to have dug especially deep. However, like the heroine of the story, The Sky’s the Limit won me over. In fact, I read the whole thing in one marathon Saturday session.

As the book progresses, and as Ms. Jack’s climbs grow increasingly risky, the narrative likewise deepens and intensifies. This may not be an exhaustively researched biography, but neither is it skin-deep or forgettable. It is personable and engaging in ways that other climbing books sometimes lack. Plus, it’s quite fun to read. I relished the chance to unabashedly root for someone fulfilling her dream.

I would place The Sky’s the Limit alongside Touching My Father’s Soul , as a book that treats an almost mythical quest in a remarkably personal and life-affirming way. There are doubtless more prestigious accounts of climbing the Seven Summits available. But this book caters especially well to readers like me who aren’t mountain climbers. In particular, if you are looking for an adventure book with a worthy female role-model, The Sky’s the Limit is well worth seeking out.

[Laura (Reading is a Doing Word) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book after seeing an event with Anna and Vicky at the National Library of Scotland. It's a tremendous read. From completing the Munroes, Vicky aims for the Seven Summits and, despite significant challenges, she succeeds. It's an inspiring story. I loved it!