This book has been on my shelve for a while now. It was when I saw #joesimpson on #bbc retracing his father's footsteps on a fantastic journey to Burma that made me search for the book. Very descriptive, but not in a dull way... It made me shiver when he described the coldness of the Andes, it made me bite my nails with the expectation, filled my blood with adrenaline with every step he and #simonyates took... I even felt the need to scratch when he had an itch. It draws you in and doesn't let you go. These men, like many others, go on adventures to challenge nature and themselves. I think it happens to all of us.... as soon as you reach a certain point or achieve a certain goal you lose interest and start immediately looking for the next one. Joe Simpson, after reaching the summit had this same thought... little did he know what the descend had in store for them. It's a book about the prospect of death, morality and the strength of the human spirit.

I mostly read YA fiction even though I run a floor filled with non-fiction books. This is mostly because I love to escape and get sucked into the author's world when I'm reading and this isn't so easy to do when you're reading something that is factual. It takes me a lot longer to work my way through non-fiction books because they are a lot easier to put down and forget about for a few days. So when I tell you that I was hooked and really struggled to stop reading Touching the Void this should give you an idea of just how good it is! It took me a chapter or so to get into the book as Joe sets the scene and describes the run up to the climb but once I got used to the style of writing and the setting I found I didn't want to stop. Simpson describes everything so well and I found that I got sucked into the setting just like I do with fiction. At times I could have used a dictionary as Simpson mentions various climbing terms that I'm not familiar with even though I now know a little bit about climbing and so perhaps a glossary would be useful but even this didn't spoil the book for me. Simpson crafts his and Yates' experiences so vividly that when I read the part where Joe's leg gets broken I literally felt dizzy (I'm really not good with broken bones!). The way that they faced death and overcame truly is powerful and terrifying and towards the end I was so desperate for Joe to reach the camp before it was too late. Even though you know how it will end you still experience the doubt and uncertainty along with Joe and Simon every step of the way. This is a dramatic and gripping read that tells the story of how two men showed true courage in the face of some of nature and life's toughest challenges. If you like adventure, travel, climbing or a thrilling tale then this book is for you, even if non-fiction isn't really your thing. And even if you're only mildly curious you should give it a go!

An incredible true account of one man's will to survive against all the odds; catastrophe, the elements, injury, ethical dilemma, pain, hunger/thirst, delirium and despair. The harrowing detail of his experience can sometimes be hard to digest, particularly when telling of his gruesome injuries, and in contrast the raw emotion of collaboration and rescue toward the end are well juxtaposed. This is a fantastic memoir with only one flaw; you need a mountaineer's education to best understand and visualise Joe and Simon's ventures. Although this can be converted into a positive of its own if you seek out the definitions and imagery for yourself.

Simpson’s story is almost unbelievable. It’s thrilling.