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Yea, PBS ran it a few years back here in Seattle, I am sure it would be pretty easy to track down.

I really have enjoyed David Roberts work. I am reading 4 against the arctic right now, will review when I complete it. It is amazing these guys (shipwrecked Russians) survived 6 years in the most inhospitable part of the north. Aside from the epic survival moves by Shackleton, these dudes are about as tough as they come. Check it out if you dig Roberts.

Have you read his other book Cosmic Banditos? It's hilarious...autobiographical bits mixed with fantasy.

One of my all time favourites Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage by Hermann Buhl...had me carrying snowballs into the office everyday to harden the hands against the cold.
Don't know if it made any difference, but it certainly solidified my reputation in staid ontario as a lunatic.

Sounds like the same guy. He constructed a bad ass cabin, fireplace and all. Amazing story. Let me know if you can't find the book and I'll loan you mine.

ha, Cosmic Banditos I thought I'd never run into anyone else who read that book. I'm waiting for In Search of Captain Zero form the library. Can't wait to read it.

Deep Survival: Who lives, Who dies and Why by Laurence Gonzales.

^ Sounds interesting.

I've read Cosmic Banditos and In Search of Captain Zero, but my all time favorite surf read is Daniel Duane's, Caught Inside. I've read it a dozen times and always find something new. It is an autobiography of a Fella who spends a whole year surfing an off-the-beaten-path break in the Santa Cruz area. Talks about surfing roots, culture, and thoughts relating to waiting for the next wave of life. I also dig that Alone in the Wilderness stuff. That Dick guy is amazing. There is also a companion DVD that he filmed himself on an old tripod. Check it out from PBS, or your local library. I use it as a read and lesson in my 7th and 8th grade classrooms. These kids are tough to please but they ate this stuff up.

PBS, of course. That's where I saw it.

Brad, I googled the book and it's available from a few online sources. Thanks for the offer.

DentalFlossTycoon, I think that I might look for this 3 Cups of Tea, that sounds like a cool read, maybe my wife could read it aloud to me. I don't read much. It has been a long time since I actually read a book that was not a collegiate text. That is sad, and as I'm working on my Masters it looks like that unfortunate trend will continue. Maybe I will get a copy of this and sneak it into my schedule.

b/c the movie is coming out, i suggest the book no country for old men, by Cormac Mcarthy. sweet book.

and in a depressing welcome back to the real world book, the end of oil by paul roberts highlights both the crappy inevitable world of peak oil, and the even crappier energy options.

Lot of familiar reads in there.

I just finished "Bonnington Boys" about Chris Bonnington and all those who he climbed with/around during the post Hillary Everest era. Have read a lot about the climbers individually, but a good read covering how they all fit together and the changes they made in climbing during that time...

"Deep Survival" was 'ok'... I think my expectations were a bit high for that one for some reason. Interesting, but not all that...

Another recent read was Desire and Ice. About a guy who basically goes through a bit of a mid-life crisis and decides he wants to climb Denali. He has a little mountain experience, but talks about his prep work and the process of getting ready for, and then climbing Denali... 3 of 5 stars, but interesting if you are into that sorta thing..

I just finished Mountain Rescue Doctor, Wilderness Medicine in the Extremes of Nature by Chris Van Tilburg.

Great read, couldn't put it down. The author, who sometime chimes in around these parts as docwild, is an emergency room physician, ski resort doctor, and on the SAR team (CRAG Rats) in Hood River, Oregon. I found the book educational, inspiring, and thrilling as well. I think its rad that he chose to live a simple life as mtn. doctor when he just as easily could have chosen the $$$ and been a proctologist or whatever.

As far as the writing goes...it's superb. He obviously enjoys writing and is skilled.

If nothing else it gave me a great appreciation for SAR teams who VOLUNTEER to save dumb asses like us. There were several occasions in the book where Chris left a family bbq or whatever to, for example, rescue some kid who jumped off a cliff into a pool and broke his back. The rescue would usually involve putting himself at risk, not to mention liability as a doctor.....all for free. Pretty cool.

Did I mention he's a splitter. That's always cool too.

Thanks for the other copy Brad. I'm only through the first chapter but its a gripping first chapter. Well written so far.

Congrats on the book Christopher.