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A review by kfrig
Life Lived Wild: Adventures at the End of the Map by Rick Ridgeway
5.0
A book firmly planted at the intersection of adventureful, environmental and authentic will earn 5 stars from me, even if the writing is not exceptionally noteworthy (don’t get me wrong, the writing is good, just not exceptional).
In this memoir, Rick Ridgeway narrates the story of his adventurous and soulful journey through his life, propelled by a deep love for the outdoors and, outdoor challenges. His generation was long after those who founded the Explorers club but before the adventure travel “package tour” phenomenon and professional climbers. An explorer, adventurer, outdoor-lover and hard scrabble guy who gave up a spot pursuing academia to join a party attempting Everest. This began one after another experiences on every continent, across multiple outdoor disciplines. Along the way, he meets his future wife in Tibet, Yvon Chouinard, Doug Tompkins, Dick Wells and Richard Bass, Tom Brokaw, Jimmy Chin and more. Along with the adventure come far too many accidents and the loss of dear friends. There’s no hint of hubris as he tells his accomplishment-filled stories, only humility and compassion. The same is true as he talks about his family.
A wonderful, soulful story I will now need to buy in hardcover now that I’ve enjoyed it (narrated by the author) on audio.
This review can’t possibly cover all of the elements that make this man and how he told his story special, so, if you love the outdoors, just go buy this book (or in the spirit of conservation - get it at the library).
In this memoir, Rick Ridgeway narrates the story of his adventurous and soulful journey through his life, propelled by a deep love for the outdoors and, outdoor challenges. His generation was long after those who founded the Explorers club but before the adventure travel “package tour” phenomenon and professional climbers. An explorer, adventurer, outdoor-lover and hard scrabble guy who gave up a spot pursuing academia to join a party attempting Everest. This began one after another experiences on every continent, across multiple outdoor disciplines. Along the way, he meets his future wife in Tibet, Yvon Chouinard, Doug Tompkins, Dick Wells and Richard Bass, Tom Brokaw, Jimmy Chin and more. Along with the adventure come far too many accidents and the loss of dear friends. There’s no hint of hubris as he tells his accomplishment-filled stories, only humility and compassion. The same is true as he talks about his family.
A wonderful, soulful story I will now need to buy in hardcover now that I’ve enjoyed it (narrated by the author) on audio.
This review can’t possibly cover all of the elements that make this man and how he told his story special, so, if you love the outdoors, just go buy this book (or in the spirit of conservation - get it at the library).