Review by SMPlaya -- The Altitude Journals by David J Mauro

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SMPlaya
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Review by SMPlaya -- The Altitude Journals by David J Mauro

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[Following is a volunteer review of "The Altitude Journals" by David J Mauro.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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The Altitude Journals is the first-hand account of climber David Mauro's success in climbing the world's seven summits, the highest mountains on each continent, culminating with his Everest summit. More than just a play-by-play of each successful climb, Mauro's story is about his evolution through middle age.

In the midst of divorce and depression, Mauro is invited by his brother-in-law to add some newbie flair to a film he is involved with that documents a team's trek up Mount Denali, North America's highest mountain located in Alaska. With nothing to lose, Mauro welcomes this as a calling and with much pain and determination successfully summits. As he begins to understand how the lesson of presence is a successful strategy on the mountain, he becomes more attuned to the calls to continue to explore other peaks.

I rate The Altitude Journals with 4 out of 4 stars. This book combines adventure with the author's introspection and Mauro navigates the fine line of sharing his story and own self-exploration without becoming preachy or crossing over into the self-help genre. He does not offer lessons learned or applications for the reader, he simply shares his journey and thoughts along the way. It is clear that the book is based on his personal journals and blog posts throughout his seven summits adventure, and includes much thoughtfulness in recalling every moment. I would recommend this book to those not only interested in this particular genre of adventure memoir, but also anyone who enjoys stories of personal evolution and growth.

What I most enjoyed about this book were Mauro's contemplations on his approaches to climbing, which crossed over into his life off the mountain. Throughout each climb, he found it more useful to focus on a moment and its present challenges in order to make thoughtful decisions than to waste precious resources by emphasizing the glory of the final goal. As well, I was surprised that he does not in any way seem to move through the world as an adrenaline junkie, and I appreciated his articulation of the beauty and risk that the natural world offers.

There is very little that I disliked about the book. I did find it a little bit mundane to read about his personal and professional life in between climbs but recognize that the in-between climbing moments were also very much about Mauro's own growth as a son, father, and partner. It really resonated with me that he felt like he was a man walking around with a secret after his first climb, as his adventure did not seem to be particularly shareable or relatable back in real life. It is interesting to read about the progress of Mauro's self-awareness through each adventure as the climber and the man in day-to-day life become one.

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The Altitude Journals
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