How could I pass up a book about a guy who is climbing in a part of the Utah Desert that I’m very fond of, gets pinned by a fallen boulder for six days, and has to hack off his own arm with a utility knife to get out of it? Aron Ralston’s book about his experience is actually very well written, and entertaining throughout. He wisely structures it so that his autobiography, chiefly outdoor adventures in the mountains and deserts of the U.S., alternates with the details of his most dramatic experience. It took place in the Canyonlands area made famous in Edward Abbey’s Desert Solitaire. Those of us who are emotionally attached to the red rock deserts of the Four Corners region are generally willing to undergo some hardships to enjoy its beauty — but not quite as much as Aron did.
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