You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
smoore05's review
4.0
Bear Grylls: Mud, Sweat, and Tears.
This book was very surprising and well written. Some of the things that Bear had done before turning twenty five is amazing. The suspense was well built upon, and his ideas flowed well together. He seemed to keep everything pretty straight forward and from the heart, and with books about yourself it's nice to get the inside mind, and not just the normal things we see in the world of show business. 5/5
This book was very surprising and well written. Some of the things that Bear had done before turning twenty five is amazing. The suspense was well built upon, and his ideas flowed well together. He seemed to keep everything pretty straight forward and from the heart, and with books about yourself it's nice to get the inside mind, and not just the normal things we see in the world of show business. 5/5
_elisebeth's review against another edition
5.0
"Life doesn't often give us second chances. But if it does, be bloody grateful."
After reading this book I just want to give Bear a nice warm cup of tea, a cuddly blanket and let him rest for a minute.
The man is a true inspiration! This book follows his journey through childhood, the teen years and into early adulthood. From boarding school to the Special Forces to climbing Everest at 23 years old!
I can't think of the proper words to explain how amazing this book is; it just simply is! Bear doesn't hold back in detail and ensuring you get the message that he is trying to tell you through his experiences and it's refreshing and eye opening! This man has survived so many things that most of us wouldn't even dare think of doing and he is nothing but humble about it.
He admits to his recklessness, his mistakes and misjudgements that almost cost him his life over and over again, but he learns from it and that's enough to make me want to read on and on.
But I have to say my favourite part is when he talks about proposing to his wife; stark naked after they just went skinny dipping! Hilarious! The affection he has for his friends and family comes across so strongly and I love that about Bear, he's just a normal guy that amazing things have happened to and he doesn't forget that.
I could never, EVER, even imagine doing a quarter of what he has done and continues to do so I applaud him whole-heartedly for having that drive, spirit and ambition to follow his life long dreams.
After reading this book I just want to give Bear a nice warm cup of tea, a cuddly blanket and let him rest for a minute.
The man is a true inspiration! This book follows his journey through childhood, the teen years and into early adulthood. From boarding school to the Special Forces to climbing Everest at 23 years old!
I can't think of the proper words to explain how amazing this book is; it just simply is! Bear doesn't hold back in detail and ensuring you get the message that he is trying to tell you through his experiences and it's refreshing and eye opening! This man has survived so many things that most of us wouldn't even dare think of doing and he is nothing but humble about it.
He admits to his recklessness, his mistakes and misjudgements that almost cost him his life over and over again, but he learns from it and that's enough to make me want to read on and on.
But I have to say my favourite part is when he talks about proposing to his wife; stark naked after they just went skinny dipping! Hilarious! The affection he has for his friends and family comes across so strongly and I love that about Bear, he's just a normal guy that amazing things have happened to and he doesn't forget that.
I could never, EVER, even imagine doing a quarter of what he has done and continues to do so I applaud him whole-heartedly for having that drive, spirit and ambition to follow his life long dreams.
katejones's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book.
It starts with Bear's childhood and goes all the way up to I guess current time.
It's full of adventure and endurance, self-discipline, extremely hard training and the willingness to go against fear and take (somewhat crazy, but lessons learned) risks. He really has done a lot of living and traveling in his life! Not to mention climb a lot of rooftops and trees while at Eaton - I was really surprised about that.
A fighting spirit and faith seem to sum Bear up nicely, but above all he seems to be a good family man who happened to get offered a job he really loves on TV (which he seems to love a bit less, and declined a few times, but it comes with the deal and it is a great way to reach and inspire a lot of people).
There are a lot of short chapters which makes for a fast and easy read, especially since there never is a dull moment and there are plenty of perilous ones. I feel like I've traveled and trained along with him a little bit. The book also gives you a lot to think about though, it definitely is not 'mindless' reading, there are some good lessons in there too.
I liked how little the TV show was mentioned. Even though I like the show, I've seen most of the episodes; all the content in the book was new to me.
And I finally learned how he got the nickname 'Bear'.. not because of his outdoorsyness, but from his sister when he was a baby! I guess it's more teddy bear than grizzly bear since she was always dragging him around, but I'm not sure about that? His real name is also mentioned in the book, and like he said it doesn't fit him as well as Bear. I have to admit I always thought he'd given himself that nickname (for being outdoorsy, or for fighting one, god knows) which I thought was a bit pompous. Turns out that is not the case, and even worse - for me for thinking it - pompous and Bear Grylls don't belong in one sentence at all.
I read the Kindle edition on a Kindle Touch. No issues, well laid out, good navigation.
There are chapter links at the start, index with keywords at the end, followed by a few nice photographs. And I learned a lot UK 'slang' words, or at least words I'd never heard of before.
I will definitely read more of his books.
It starts with Bear's childhood and goes all the way up to I guess current time.
It's full of adventure and endurance, self-discipline, extremely hard training and the willingness to go against fear and take (somewhat crazy, but lessons learned) risks. He really has done a lot of living and traveling in his life! Not to mention climb a lot of rooftops and trees while at Eaton - I was really surprised about that.
A fighting spirit and faith seem to sum Bear up nicely, but above all he seems to be a good family man who happened to get offered a job he really loves on TV (which he seems to love a bit less, and declined a few times, but it comes with the deal and it is a great way to reach and inspire a lot of people).
There are a lot of short chapters which makes for a fast and easy read, especially since there never is a dull moment and there are plenty of perilous ones. I feel like I've traveled and trained along with him a little bit. The book also gives you a lot to think about though, it definitely is not 'mindless' reading, there are some good lessons in there too.
I liked how little the TV show was mentioned. Even though I like the show, I've seen most of the episodes; all the content in the book was new to me.
And I finally learned how he got the nickname 'Bear'.. not because of his outdoorsyness, but from his sister when he was a baby! I guess it's more teddy bear than grizzly bear since she was always dragging him around, but I'm not sure about that? His real name is also mentioned in the book, and like he said it doesn't fit him as well as Bear. I have to admit I always thought he'd given himself that nickname (for being outdoorsy, or for fighting one, god knows) which I thought was a bit pompous. Turns out that is not the case, and even worse - for me for thinking it - pompous and Bear Grylls don't belong in one sentence at all.
I read the Kindle edition on a Kindle Touch. No issues, well laid out, good navigation.
There are chapter links at the start, index with keywords at the end, followed by a few nice photographs. And I learned a lot UK 'slang' words, or at least words I'd never heard of before.
I will definitely read more of his books.
natedmp's review
5.0
This book is full of words in which one should live life by. The tales of Bear from innocent young boy to (often) reckless adult man are inspiring and will prove to make the reader love and appreciate the man more than any TV show could.
I have read reviews in which people have complained about the style of writing. If you expect the way in which you (as an audience) is addressed any different to the way Bear addresses viewers of Born Survivor, you're crazy. I fell straight into this book, which was compelling throughout and further proved how decent a human being this man is.
I thought, at several points throughout the tales, that I could try them. Then I figured out that my internal fire isn't powerful enough to withstand such gruelling tasks. Instead, my fire is within a different industry. But the message is the same as the base of the book, no matter what your passion and fire burn for;
Never give up and always dig deep for what you want in life!
I have read reviews in which people have complained about the style of writing. If you expect the way in which you (as an audience) is addressed any different to the way Bear addresses viewers of Born Survivor, you're crazy. I fell straight into this book, which was compelling throughout and further proved how decent a human being this man is.
I thought, at several points throughout the tales, that I could try them. Then I figured out that my internal fire isn't powerful enough to withstand such gruelling tasks. Instead, my fire is within a different industry. But the message is the same as the base of the book, no matter what your passion and fire burn for;
Never give up and always dig deep for what you want in life!
shumska's review against another edition
4.0
odmah na početku treba reći da sam osoba koja nikad prije nije čula za beara gryllsa, planetarno popularnog avanturista i potpuno sam neupućena u njegovu životnu priču. i za nekoga tko živi život kao avanturu -u blatu, močvarama i mulju- čovjek sasvim dobro piše. :D
počevši od svojih korijena, preko djetinjstva i odrastanja, iskreno i (relativno) skromno opisuje svoj put s dvije ključne točke: njegovo vrijeme provedeno u sas-u i uspon na everest. kroz priču otvoreno govori i o lijepim i ružnim stvarima koje su mu se događale i o snazi koju pronalazi u vjeri. tekst koji se proteže na 400 stranica podijelio je na 110 poglavlja (!), čita se brzo i lako i taman je ispresijecan malim životnim mudrostima u prihvatljivim dozama a da ne bude zamoran i docirajući.
uglavnom, bear je čovjek koji u svakoj situaciji - ma koliko teška bila (npr. let s padobranom pošao je po zlu i slomio je kralježnicu na tri djela nakon čega je zamalo postao invalidom - a uspon na everest bio je nakon toga) pronalazi lekcije za smoći snage i ići dalje.
ovo nije neka dubiozna knjiga, tek autobiografski zapis čovjeka koji ima ogromnu volju i strast za životom. ne otkriva neke nove dubokoumnosti, ali one male koje dijeli s nama iskrene su i dolaze iz srca.
"život je onakav kakvim si ga učiniš." eto. nemam što nadodati tome. :)
počevši od svojih korijena, preko djetinjstva i odrastanja, iskreno i (relativno) skromno opisuje svoj put s dvije ključne točke: njegovo vrijeme provedeno u sas-u i uspon na everest. kroz priču otvoreno govori i o lijepim i ružnim stvarima koje su mu se događale i o snazi koju pronalazi u vjeri. tekst koji se proteže na 400 stranica podijelio je na 110 poglavlja (!), čita se brzo i lako i taman je ispresijecan malim životnim mudrostima u prihvatljivim dozama a da ne bude zamoran i docirajući.
uglavnom, bear je čovjek koji u svakoj situaciji - ma koliko teška bila (npr. let s padobranom pošao je po zlu i slomio je kralježnicu na tri djela nakon čega je zamalo postao invalidom - a uspon na everest bio je nakon toga) pronalazi lekcije za smoći snage i ići dalje.
ovo nije neka dubiozna knjiga, tek autobiografski zapis čovjeka koji ima ogromnu volju i strast za životom. ne otkriva neke nove dubokoumnosti, ali one male koje dijeli s nama iskrene su i dolaze iz srca.
"život je onakav kakvim si ga učiniš." eto. nemam što nadodati tome. :)
_sabrinasbooknook_'s review
4.0
Who gets bullied and takes up karate to defend himself? Who goes through the damanding selection of SAS twice? Who - after having broken his back - decides to climb Mount Everest? Bear Grylls!
Bear Grylls, who is known all over the world for his hit-TV-show Man vs. Wild/Born Survivor: Bear Grylls, has now finally published his autobiography.
Grylls' actions are often not very well thought-through but reckless and and some might think he's got a deathwish. At the same time I find him to be also very inspiring, because he just doesn't let life get to him. The best example for that would be his accident. After a parachute accident in his early twenties Grylls breaks his back and nobody knows if he'll ever walk properly again, but he doesn't let this news get to him. Instead he sets his mind on climbing Mount Everest and - against all odds - succeeds.
This book is a must-read for every fan of Bear Grylls and adventurer out there.
Bear Grylls, who is known all over the world for his hit-TV-show Man vs. Wild/Born Survivor: Bear Grylls, has now finally published his autobiography.
Grylls' actions are often not very well thought-through but reckless and and some might think he's got a deathwish. At the same time I find him to be also very inspiring, because he just doesn't let life get to him. The best example for that would be his accident. After a parachute accident in his early twenties Grylls breaks his back and nobody knows if he'll ever walk properly again, but he doesn't let this news get to him. Instead he sets his mind on climbing Mount Everest and - against all odds - succeeds.
This book is a must-read for every fan of Bear Grylls and adventurer out there.