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Climb: Leaving Safe and Finding Strength on 100 Summits in Japan
The inspiring memoir of a middle-aged woman who challenged herself to climb one hundred Japanese mountains in a single year, even after an aggressive cancer threatened to derail her dream.
After more than forty years of living "safe and scared," California attorney and mystery author Susan Spann decided to break free by climbing one hundred of Japan's most famous mountains, inspired by a classic list of hyakumeizan peaks. But when an unexpected cancer diagnosis forced her to confront her deepest fears, the mountains of Japan became the setting for an even more transformative journey from pain and fear to a new life fueled by hope, confidence, and strength.
This immersive, inspiring, and witty page-turner captures the terrifying lows and breathtaking highs of a woman's journey from timidity to confidence, cancer to healing, and regret to joy, as she breaks the mental and physical chains that once prevented her from living out her dreams. Susan chronicles her journey with an insightful, often humorous eye for not only her travels across Japan, but the culture, food, nature, and obstacles she encountered along the way, and complements her honest and vivid prose with breathtaking personal photographs.
After more than forty years of living "safe and scared," California attorney and mystery author Susan Spann decided to break free by climbing one hundred of Japan's most famous mountains, inspired by a classic list of hyakumeizan peaks. But when an unexpected cancer diagnosis forced her to confront her deepest fears, the mountains of Japan became the setting for an even more transformative journey from pain and fear to a new life fueled by hope, confidence, and strength.
This immersive, inspiring, and witty page-turner captures the terrifying lows and breathtaking highs of a woman's journey from timidity to confidence, cancer to healing, and regret to joy, as she breaks the mental and physical chains that once prevented her from living out her dreams. Susan chronicles her journey with an insightful, often humorous eye for not only her travels across Japan, but the culture, food, nature, and obstacles she encountered along the way, and complements her honest and vivid prose with breathtaking personal photographs.
- GenresNonfiction
Unknown Binding
Published January 1, 2020
About the author
Susan Spann
12 books219 followersAuthor of the Hiro Hattori Novels (Shinobi Mysteries), featuring ninja detective Hiro Hattori and his Portuguese Jesuit sidekick, Father Mateo.
CLAWS OF THE CAT (Minotaur Books, 2013)
Library Journal Mystery Debut of the Month
Silver Falchion Finalist: Best First Novel
BLADE OF THE SAMURAI (Minotaur Books, 2014)
FLASK OF THE DRUNKEN MASTER (Minotaur Books, July 2015)
THE NINJA'S DAUGHTER (Seventh Street Books, August 2016)
BETRAYAL AT IGA (Seventh Street Books, July 2017)
CLAWS OF THE CAT (Minotaur Books, 2013)
Library Journal Mystery Debut of the Month
Silver Falchion Finalist: Best First Novel
BLADE OF THE SAMURAI (Minotaur Books, 2014)
FLASK OF THE DRUNKEN MASTER (Minotaur Books, July 2015)
THE NINJA'S DAUGHTER (Seventh Street Books, August 2016)
BETRAYAL AT IGA (Seventh Street Books, July 2017)
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 16, 2021
Okay so this book was very interesting. The writing was often cheesy, but I couldn't get enough of the story. This ended up being a different story that I thought. It is and isn't a story about athletic achievement. Susan Spann is a cancer survivor, but its not really a book about cancer, and its not even a book about overcoming cancer. Cancer is the catalyst that Spann uses to jumpstart her life to live how she wants to be. Part inspirational memoir, part travelogue, part pseudo cognitive behavioral therapy, I really loved the charm of the book.
Its very interesting that it is not about the athleticism of the climbing 100 mountains. Obviously more has been written and if I were looking to read something about touching the heavens and pushing human potential to the limit I'd go read Viesturs or Messner. But that is just it, it was HER limit. She had all these mental and physical blocks that she overcame, they were her tests of courage and ability. To me it was just a unique story about overcoming that hit home.
I loved when she talked about going on the pilgrimage and focusing on the past, the present, and the future, as well as life, death and rebirth.
A very interesting part of the book that I did not see coming, although the foreshadowing was a little on the nose, was how she abandoned climbing the Hyakumeizan, the 100 famous mountains of Japan. Its a very interesting commentary on the idea of your goals serving you, you shouldn't be serving your goals. But at the same time, you do want to set out to do something that is noteworthy, that gives you a purpose and meaning, pushes you to grow, and improves your life. Luckily Spann's adjusted goal of 100 mountains of any kind in a year in Japan accomplishes this task just was well.
I loved her inner dialogue, especially at the beginning where she was countering her negative thoughts (although David Burns might call them cognitive distortions).
Overall I really loved the book, it was a quick enjoyable read. I loved reading about her transforming her life and becoming a new person in a new place. A clean slate if you will. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, and it had its definite shortcomings and often had events that were far too serendipitous, but I really enjoyed it and maybe I'll read it again someday.
Its very interesting that it is not about the athleticism of the climbing 100 mountains. Obviously more has been written and if I were looking to read something about touching the heavens and pushing human potential to the limit I'd go read Viesturs or Messner. But that is just it, it was HER limit. She had all these mental and physical blocks that she overcame, they were her tests of courage and ability. To me it was just a unique story about overcoming that hit home.
I loved when she talked about going on the pilgrimage and focusing on the past, the present, and the future, as well as life, death and rebirth.
A very interesting part of the book that I did not see coming, although the foreshadowing was a little on the nose, was how she abandoned climbing the Hyakumeizan, the 100 famous mountains of Japan. Its a very interesting commentary on the idea of your goals serving you, you shouldn't be serving your goals. But at the same time, you do want to set out to do something that is noteworthy, that gives you a purpose and meaning, pushes you to grow, and improves your life. Luckily Spann's adjusted goal of 100 mountains of any kind in a year in Japan accomplishes this task just was well.
I loved her inner dialogue, especially at the beginning where she was countering her negative thoughts (although David Burns might call them cognitive distortions).
Cancer, I could fight. A person cannot fight a mountain.
You did not come to fight, I reminded myself. You came to find your courage and reclaim your life.
Overall I really loved the book, it was a quick enjoyable read. I loved reading about her transforming her life and becoming a new person in a new place. A clean slate if you will. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, and it had its definite shortcomings and often had events that were far too serendipitous, but I really enjoyed it and maybe I'll read it again someday.
I did not want to die. I felt as if I hadn't even lived. More accurately, I felt as if I hadn't lived enough.
September 22, 2020
I found Susan Spann’s Climb to be the perfect quarantine book. This book took me to a world, Japan, that I know little about, along with a skill and endeavor that I’ve never attempted, mountain-climbing—and probably most importantly, something I’ve never had to face, surviving and overcoming cancer. I enjoyed the travelogue aspect of the story. Many times, I felt like I was hiking right alongside Susan, struggling up or down a mountain as she fought to climb the hyakumeizan, summiting one hundred mountains, in inclement weather, fighting off fear and doubt as she went. I could feel the mist on my face and see the elusive Mt. Fuji standing silently in the distance. But this book is more than an intimate tour of Japan’s most famous mountains. It is a raw, open look into the mind and heart of a strong woman confronting her deepest fears and her own mortality. Something, I think, we’ve all had to wrestle with in the Pandemic of 2020. Susan’s journey was a distraction for me, a journey into an unknown world, and a constant reminder that if we keep putting one foot in front of the other, we will walk out of the darkness and reach the summit of our own hopes and dreams just like Susan Spann did.
July 23, 2020
So good!! This is a great book for armchair travel!
August 22, 2020
You know what's great about this book? It's a mountain climbing book that delivers so much more than inspiring triumphs and great views. It's a book about summiting a hundred mountains, with wonky knees, ouchy ankles and trying to find "normal" again after cancer treatment. It's a book that's not just about getting to the top, it's about finding out who you want to be after you get to the top. This woman climbed a lot of great mountains—I've added quite a few to my own bucket list, after reading of the unexpected delights she encountered—but mountains aren't the biggest things that get conquered in this book. Each of us is being held back by what we believe about ourselves and our place in the world, and it's both heartening and thought-provoking to read how one woman challenged those assumptions and moved past them on her way to her own personal best.
August 22, 2020
It was simply wonderful. I already had a shelf in my humble home library, of her books in the Asian Fiction section, with space for her next works patiently waiting.
Her, newest book, will go into the autobiography/biography section under the S’s. I’m sure to read it again, it was such a pleasent read, hitting on so many things I love and enjoy. It clearly stood out among biographies, as one of the most frank and honest pictures of a part of ones life, to ever grace my biography section.
Frank and honest, it is, also inspiring as this person shortly after cancer and surgery, reboots her life to make things better than before. I highly recommend this.
Her, newest book, will go into the autobiography/biography section under the S’s. I’m sure to read it again, it was such a pleasent read, hitting on so many things I love and enjoy. It clearly stood out among biographies, as one of the most frank and honest pictures of a part of ones life, to ever grace my biography section.
Frank and honest, it is, also inspiring as this person shortly after cancer and surgery, reboots her life to make things better than before. I highly recommend this.
January 28, 2021
Ms. Spann, author of a series of mysteries set in medieval Japan, set out to climb 100 Japanese mountains. This is the story of her odyssey, and of her recovery from surgery. It is an inspiring tale.
It is also an exciting introduction to many of the hikes she undertook. Anyone who reads this will, at the very least, dream of climbing the glorious mountains which she ascended.
It is also an exciting introduction to many of the hikes she undertook. Anyone who reads this will, at the very least, dream of climbing the glorious mountains which she ascended.
March 12, 2021
I enjoyed this book. Susan Spann is clearly a good author. She is able to describe each event with just the right amount of description and emotion to allow you to feel that you are there. I really did enjoy this book and it inspired me to do some hiking myself. I must say it did get a little repetitive. But overall a great read.
May 16, 2021
5 stars for the courage to embark on a journey and achieve tough goals after surviving the trauma of cancer.
-1 star for the 90 ‘bursting into tears’ descriptions that I had to endure while reading. I’m glad the author manages avoiding bursting into tears for the last 10 or so peaks.
That, was an achievement of no small feat.
-1 star for the 90 ‘bursting into tears’ descriptions that I had to endure while reading. I’m glad the author manages avoiding bursting into tears for the last 10 or so peaks.
That, was an achievement of no small feat.
January 20, 2021
While I did have to suspend my disbelief that an unfit, older woman just finishing aggressive amounts of chemo could climb 100 mountains in another country, I did still really like this book and i'm sure I will come back to it, especially with my highlighted comments/notes abound.
April 23, 2022
Wanted to love this one, I really really did - I enjoyed parts of it, and was inspired by Susan's journey, but I felt that the book was, at certain points, far too repetitive to be engaging.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews